Hoda Kotb, co-host of NBC’s popular morning show “Today,” has announced that she will be stepping down from her role early next year.
Kotb, who has been a familiar face on the show since 2017, made the emotional announcement on Thursday’s broadcast, saying it was time for a new chapter.
“It was time for me to turn the page at 60,” Kotb said tearfully during the show.
She explained that her decision was largely driven by her desire to spend more time with her two young daughters, whom she adopted later in life.
“They deserve a bigger piece of my time pie,” Kotb added, calling the decision the hardest of her life.
Kotb has co-hosted “Today” alongside Savannah Guthrie since taking over from Matt Lauer, who was fired in 2017 amid allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior.
In addition to her role on the flagship morning program, Kotb also hosts the 10 a.m. hour of “Today” alongside Jenna Bush Hager.
Guthrie expressed her support for Kotb’s decision, saying, “We don’t want to imagine this place without you, but you have guts for leaving at the top of your game.”
Kotb has been with NBC since 1998, initially serving as a correspondent on “Dateline” before transitioning to “Today.”
She co-hosted the 10 a.m. hour with Kathie Lee Gifford from 2008 until 2019, when Bush Hager took over.
Kotb’s departure marks one of the biggest shifts in morning television in over a decade.
Shows like “Today” and “Good Morning America” are cultural icons and major revenue drivers for their networks, making Kotb’s exit a significant event in the industry.
Though Kotb plans to step down from her current role, she reassured her colleagues and viewers that she intends to remain part of the NBC family. In a letter to “Today” staff, she wrote, “Family is family, and you all will always be a part of mine.”
NBC has not yet announced a successor for Kotb.
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