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Hoda Kotb may have a different future outside of the TODAY show. After nearly 20 years as its co-anchor, the TV personality penned an emotional letter to the TODAY crew in September, explaining what she plans to do now. Two months later, she co-hosted the annual NBC Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on-air show. So, is Hoda leaving the TODAY show, and if so, why?
Hollywood Life has the latest on Hoda’s future with TODAY, below.
Is Hoda Kotb Leaving TODAY?
In a letter to her co-workers, the journalist revealed she is, in fact, leaving the TODAY show.
“I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one,” Hoda wrote. “And you all are the reason why. They say two things can be right at the same time, and I’m feeling that so deeply right now. I love you, and it’s time for me to leave the show. My time at NBC has been the longest professional love affair of my life. But only because you’ve been beside me on this twenty-six-year adventure.”
The long-term NBC personality has been with the network for 26 years. Before she landed her TODAY role, Hoda worked with Dateline for a decade.
“I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while – Am I truly ready?” Hoda asked in her letter. “But, my 60th birthday celebration on the Plaza felt like a shift. Like a massive, joyful ‘YES,’ you are! I saw it all so clearly: my broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now, my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie.”
Hoda shares her daughters, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine, with ex Joel Schiffman.
“I will miss you all desperately, but I’m ready and excited,” she concluded.
Why Is Hoda Kotb Leaving TODAY?
Hoda cited her age as the main reason why she decided to leave the show. And after news broke of her departure, the journalist appeared in an emotional TODAY episode.
“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new,” Hoda pointed out. “I remembered standing outside looking at these beautiful bunch of people with these gorgeous signs, and I thought, ‘This is what the top of the wave feels like for me.’ And I thought it can’t get better, and I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on.”
When Is Hoda Kotb Leaving TODAY?
Hoda isn’t officially leaving the show this year. In her letter, the TV star noted that she plans on working through the first part of 2025.
“Because I’ll be working through the beginning of 2025, there’s plenty of time to talk about what’s ahead for all of us,” she noted, before vowing that she will remain in the “NBC family” going forward. “But one thing I know for sure right now is this: everything’s going to be just fine. … I’ll be around. How could I not? Family is family and you all will always be a part of mine.”
Where Is Hoda Kotb Going After TODAY?
While she promised to remain a part of NBC’s “family,” it’s still unclear whether Hoda is planning to join another TV program.