Hoda Kotb announces departure from NBC’s ‘Today’ early next year

Hoda Kotb, the beloved host of NBC’s Today show for 17 years, stunned fans when she announced she would step down early next year.

In an interview, Kotb, 60, shared that it felt like the right time to explore new directions in life and spend more time with her children.

A storied career at NBC
Kotb’s journey at NBC began in 1998 as a Dateline correspondent and continued for 26 years. In 2008, she started to host the 10 a.m. slot in Today with Kathie Lee Gifford.

She became the co-anchor of Today in 2018, following Matt Lauer’s controversial exit in 2017.

In 2018, Kotb and Savannah Guthrie made history as the first all-women team to co-anchor the show’s 7:00 a.m. hour. 

Throughout her tenure, she became known for her warm personality and ability to connect with viewers.

What next?
While she’ll be leaving the morning show, Kotb assured that she’s not going far. She promised to remain an occasional NBC contributor and may pursue wellness projects.

Meanwhile, NBC has yet to announce her replacement.