Tag: Hoda

Hoda Kotb is wrapping up her time as co-anchor of TODAY.

In September, Hoda announced her decision to leave her position on the show, although she plans to remain part of the NBC family.

As Hoda gets ready to embark on her next adventure, here’s everything you need to know about her last day on TODAY, from when it is to how it’s being celebrated on the show.

When is Hoda Kotb’s last day on TODAY?

Hoda’s last day as co-anchor of TODAY and co-host of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025.

Are there any celebrations for Hoda before she leaves TODAY?

So, what kind of festivities can you expect ahead of and on Hoda’s last day on TODAY?

On Dec. 18, Jenna Bush Hager shared on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna that her co-host will be celebrated the entire week leading up to her last day, which is set for Friday, Jan. 10, in the new year.

“You all know that Hoda’s last day is January 10, right? We’re celebrating you the whole week before,” Jenna said before turning to Hoda and saying there’s a “big announcement.”

She then revealed a very special celebration for Hoda’s last day.

“We are having a Hoda-bration for Hoda’s final show, and guess what? We’re going to have a live audience,” Jenna revealed.

“Wait what?!” Hoda exclaimed.

Jenna added that the show will happen live from Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, which is where “Late Night with Seth Meyers” is filmed.

“There will be big surprises, lots of surprises that Hoda won’t even know about,” Jenna said, adding that she hopes she can get through it without crying.

Tickets to see the live show went on sale but registration is now closed. During Hoda’s recent appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” the talk show host mentioned how fast the tickets sold.

“I would love to tell people to get tickets, but you put them up online and it sold out in six minutes, so everybody’s coming,” Seth Meyers said.

However, fans can still tune in to catch the special episode of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on Jan. 10 from the comfort of home.

“I was just thinking as I walked in here because this is going to be the spot …and to think that the last one is going to be live on a Friday, it’s going to be pretty cool,” Hoda told Meyers.

Why is Hoda Kotb leaving TODAY?

When Hoda announced her TODAY departure in September, she said that her 60th birthday celebration in August made her realize that it’s time for a change.

“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new,” she said to her TODAY family on Sept. 26. “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.”

She said that her decision to leave was also rooted in her desire to spend more time with her daughters: Haley, 7, and Hope, 5.

“Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have,” she said. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time.”

She called leaving TODAY the “hardest thing in the world,” but promised she will remain with the NBC family in some sort of role.

What will Hoda Kotb do after TODAY?

On Oct. 25, Hoda shared that guidance from friends has been “instrumental” to her in planning her future endeavors.

She explained that the upcoming big change did scare her, but she feels it’s more like she’s “repotting,” a term she got from Maria Shriver.

“I love the term ‘repotting.’ It’s like you’re pulled up by your very roots, your foundation, everything that grounds you, and your roots are in the air, and you’re scared. ‘Where am I going to land?’” she said.

While Hoda has not shared exact details of where her “repotting” journey will take her, she said that she’s “been so turned on by the wellness space.”

Hoda said she wants to “live in wellness” after her time on TODAY comes to a close.

“I want to work in that space,” Hoda shared. “I want to start things. I’ve got things that are percolating inside that I’m going to hopefully have fully formed soon.”

While the specific details around Hoda’s next chapter might not be clear, she’s ready to embark on it with her full might.

“I love new adventures, and I’ve been on the ride of a lifetime,” she said. “And I think sometimes we’re afraid, because what could be better than this?”

She’s also looking forward to spending more time with her daughters after she leaves TODAY. Largely, she’s excited by the thought of being able to take her daughters to school.

“It’s funny,” she said on the Dec. 18 episode of her “Making Space” podcast. “When I was mentioning here that I was going to leave the TODAY show, one of our producers came upstairs in the makeup room, and she said, ‘I want to say something to you.’ She goes, ‘My mother walking me to school every day was the best memory I’ve ever had.’

“And all I want to do is walk my kids to school,” she continued. “And it’s the simplest thing, with a cup of coffee, walking your kids to school. But all the little things, you get to see growth.”

Who is replacing Hoda Kotb?

Craig Melvin has been tapped to replace Hoda as the co-anchor of TODAY alongside Savannah Guthrie.

Craig will begin his co-anchor role on Jan. 13, 2025.

“I am beyond excited and grateful,” Craig said on TODAY Nov. 14. “This is the latest in a long line of blessings.”

Hoda said that Craig was “literally made for this job” when he was announced as her successor.

“You are that kind of good,” she added. “You have all the things that this job needs. You’re the right person for it.”

Craig won’t be leaving his post in the 3rd hour of TODAY, as he’s still scheduled to co-host alongside Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones.

He won’t be appearing during TODAY’s fourth hour, though, as it will debut as TODAY Jenna & Friends on Jan. 13. It will feature Jenna and a revolving cast of guest co-hosts and games until a permanent co-host is named.