Hoda Kotb Shares the Shocking Moment She Knew It Was Time to Leave the ‘Today’ Show”
Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty
Hoda Kotb recently opened up about her unexpected decision to step away from the Today show during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, October 7. The popular host shared that turning 60 prompted her to make significant life changes.
As reported by People magazine, Kotb said, “When I turned 60, something weird happened, man.” She explained that her milestone birthday led her to reflect on her life and career. On her birthday, she celebrated with a “beautiful party” at the Today show.
“I looked out at the sea of all the people who came and the beautiful signs and so many well wishes, and I knew in my heart, like, this is it, man. This is what the mountaintop must feel like. Like I’d never had that feeling before,” she recalled.
Kotb also described the challenges of her demanding schedule, which included waking up at 3:15 a.m. to prepare for the show. Fallon responded enthusiastically, “Your life is going to completely change—this is fantastic!” He humorously added, “You’re gonna go to concerts! You’re gonna go out on dates, you’re gonna go to restaurants! You’re gonna watch bad TV. You’re gonna do whatever the heck you want because you don’t have to wake up at three in the morning.”
Fallon also asked about how her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, reacted to the news. Kotb shared, “I was telling them, ‘Mommy is going to be able to take you to school,’ and they go, ‘[Gasp] Wednesday?’ ‘No honey, not Wednesday.’ ‘Next week?’ I go, ‘No honey, not next week. Probably somewhere January, February.’”
She laughed as she explained that her daughters reacted with surprise, saying, “‘January, February?’ I might as well continue working forever. For them, it’s like till the end.”
Kotb emphasized that her decision was ultimately about focusing on her family. “They need a little more of me, and I need more of them, so I think it’s all gonna work out beautifully,” she expressed.
Hoda Kotb officially left the NBC morning show on September 26, 2024, marking the end of a significant chapter in her career as she steps into a new phase focused on her personal life and her children.
