Hoda Kotb makes emotional announcement after 17 years: “I realized it was time…”

Hoda Kotb announced this morning that she will step down from NBC’s Today after 17 years.

Kotb, 60, has been a major part of the flagship morning news program since 2007; she currently serves as both co-anchor of the main program and co-host of the entertainment-focused fourth hour.

The journalist got emotional this morning announcing the news on Today, explaining she came to the decision after turning 60 last month.

“I realized it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and try something new,” Kotb said. Her departure will take place next year.

“I just thought the universe was speaking to me,” she elaborated in an interview with The New York Times. “This is a time in life for looking inside you, and figuring out what your yearnings are, your callings — where or what direction you’re headed during this new decade.”

The news was met with an emotional response from her Today colleagues, as co-anchor Savannah Guthrie said they didn’t “want to imagine this place without [her],” a sentiment that will no doubt be shared by many longtime viewers accustomed to waking up to Kotb every morning.

Kotb served as a correspondent for Dateline NBC before joining Today in 2007, as the first host of the program’s expanded fourth hour. In 2008, Kotb was joined by co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, and the lighthearted, entertainment-focused hour soon became a daytime talk staple of its own.

In 2018, Kotb got a prestigious new assignment as she became co-anchor of the main Today program alongside Savannah Guthrie, making them the show’s first all-female anchor team. She replaced longtime host Matt Lauer, who was abruptly fired in 2017 after alleged sexual misconduct.

Kotb has continued to also co-host the fourth hour, known as Today with Hoda & Jenna since Jenna Bush Hager replaced Gifford in 2019.

Kotb’s departure will create a vacancy in both these coveted hosting gigs; it is not clear who is in line to replace her in either role.

While she is moving on to other opportunities after 26 years with the network, Kotb will reportedly remain an occasional contributor to NBC, per the Times.

Hoda Kotb has been a staple of Today for so long, the show won’t be the same without her! So many of us will miss seeing her every morning but we wish her the best and many great opportunities in the future!

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