‘Today’: Hoda Kotb Announces What She’ll Do Next — ‘It’s Terrifying’
Hoda Kotb may be fearful about her Today chapter coming to a close, but she’s excited about the prospect of starting a new chapter — in the wellness space, she announced on Friday (October 25).
During Today with Hoda & Jenna on Friday (October 25), Kotb shared her plans to venture into wellness after her exit for the first time on-air.
“What I wanna do is, I wanna work in wellness. I want to work in that space. I want to start things. I’ve got things that are percolating inside,” the longtime host shared. “But I want you guys to come along on the ride with me because let’s all get better! Why not?”
Today shared the segment on X, captioning it: “Sometimes we need to slow down, take a deep breath and make space for ourselves.”
Sometimes we need to slow down, take a deep breath and make space for ourselves.
Hoda and Jenna are stepping into self care and chatting all things wellness today.
Sponsored by Miraval Resorts & Spas. pic.twitter.com/twtexIo2MX
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) October 25, 2024
Jenna Bush Hager applauded the move and shared how she took the difficult retirement news, “Even though my heart was broken, I understood it. When you love somebody so much the way I love Hoda, I didn’t know she was going to go away but I knew it was in her, this dream.”
Kotb did not say whether she’d launch a talk show, podcast, or specific medium in wellness, but it was a rare signal of the direction she’s looking to take.
Earlier in the show, the 60 year old also admitted on her overall headspace about leaving: “Yeah, it’s scary. It’s terrifying. It’s all those things, but it’s also exactly right.” Kotb explained that she’s “75 percent” moved on but the transition is difficult given she’s still anchoring the morning show.
However, Kotb — who’s been with Today for 26 years — said she has decided to “fall in love” with the idea of a new beginning.
“Whenever I made a leap, a move, a jump — it was, like, I’m falling in love,” she explained. “When I moved to this town, I’m falling in love. I’m going to fall in love with a place, a restaurant, a friend, I’m going to meet a boyfriend.”
Kotb likened her new start to “re-potting” a plant, in which you’re “pulled up by your very roots, your foundation, everything that grounds you and your roots are in the air.” She even wondered where she was “going to land” before amending, “so much of life is decision-making.”
She concluded, “When you love something, it’s hard to say goodbye to it because it doesn’t make sense, but there was something to me about recognizing a peak and saying in that peak, like, ‘I do not feel that there is an opportunity that would make this any better than it is today.’ Once that feeling hits you, it’s like this is it. I don’t want to spend the rest of my days trying to recreate the top of the mountain. It was glorious. It was unforgettable.”
In a memo to staffers last month, Kotb announced she would leave The Today Show in early 2025 to focus on her family. Her replacement at the anchor desk is unannounced.
“I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while – Am I truly ready? But, my sixtieth birthday celebration on the Plaza felt like a shift. Like a massive, joyful YES, you are!” read the memo. “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.” She also teared up while reflecting on the decision during an episode of Today that month.
Kotb is mother to two daughters, Haley Joy, seven, and Hope Catherine, four, both of whom she adopted.
The beloved anchor, who replaced Matt Lauer in 2018 alongside co-anchor Savannah Guthrie (making for the first all-female anchor desk in morning show history) was also facing significant pay cuts when she decided to exit gracefully.
According to an October 16 Variety piece, Kotb’s significant salary decrease was estimated to put her in the $10 million-$15 million-a-year range (closer to Guthrie’s reported $8 million). As the outlet wrote: “For sure, it was Kotb’s call to leave Today, but the promise of having to absorb a substantial pay cut may well have accelerated her timeline.”
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Conversation23 Comments
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I just wish Hoda would stay home and be a mother to the children she adopted and left in the hands of nannies to raise.
I am sick of her imparting advice about parenting and writing books about her experiences in parenting. Stay home, volunteer at school, prepare 3 meals a day and clean your own house and do your own laundry and then you might have the right to tell we common folk how to manage our lives.
joshay
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She’s leaving the Today show to spend more time with her family. Just because she has children doesn’t mean she “needs” to stay home and that doesn’t make her a bad Mother.
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G
She’s 60 and wealthy. Why not enjoy your golden years?
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C
A truly remarkable person. Hoda, you wear your heart on your sleeve, you see the beauty in all life has to offer you. I truly wish you morning but happiness and success. You will be missed!
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B
I think Honda was lucky enough to afford new borns when young couples are not able . So why don’t you stay home and raise them ? I am a late in life child and my dad died when I was 9 and he was 57 . Time is short so why don’t you raise them instead of others helping out !
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These 'news' shows are nothing but the National Enquirer on TV. For these people to be making 15-20M is disgusting. Doctors don't make that. Here's an idea Hoda, you are in 50s, stay home and take care of those kids you adopted. Why are these people so greedy and obsessed with having to be something all the time?
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Good Lock Hoda in your new adventures. Blessings to you and your girls and entire family ❤️.
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C
I am not sure what is the reason for a tv anchor making 20 mil a year? What does he add to our life? The news always negative and there is nothing positive or uplifting ever!! And tv charges so much money for advertisement and they call it exposure!! How about spreading the wealth and stop charging so much money and let the little guy make it in this life? Or is it just about the rich and famous? What a waste…
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O
It’s obvious many of the authors of these comments don’t watch the Today Show. Daily I am encouraged by this group of friends who are not only excellent at what they do, but do it with hearts that are obviously faith-filled which is rare to find now in media. I will miss you Hoda! You are a class act! Take a year to do nothing but be home with your girls before launching something new. You will never regret it! I took 16 years off to raise three kids. Best wishes my friend!
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Why is it so earth shattering to know what’s next! She’s in the top 5% of the food chain & are people so pathetic not to live their own lives, rather than a vicarious existence of a person they don’t & will never know! Damn, wake up, be you!
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I think it is ridiculous that they make that much money when we have soldiers and teachers unable to buy houses and live. Hoda needs to just be a mom to the two kids she adopted. Be a parent, tax dot your responsibility!
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I am so proud of hearing the pay goes to people more of public service home health care aides,care givers( making $10
bucks/hr) nurses ( breaking their
backs & veins for helping others
heal), soldiers putting their life on the line( coming bk w PTSD)
Tha's why it us important to
VOTE so a dictator,criminal rapist. doesn't tell a women what to do!
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P
What a joke! $20M/year is almost $77,000/day! Not to mention the free perks of travel & clothing! All of these anchors are overpaid. Half of those shows are ads and as consumers, we’re paying for those ads! Higher prices not just due to inflation but also due to marketing! Again, what a joke!
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Hoda, you are very good at what you do,… but still,…TV-lite is it worth $10 million for anyone……Please stay home with your children…. They’re your most priceless gift….
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Hoda best wishes to you..Your girls are Blessed to have you ❤️ Take some time to devote your life to them , right now is an important time of there life. And don't forget to make sure You fulfill your happiness, you deserve it. Your so
soul mate is out there waiting..
God Bless You, you will be missed
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G
I really love hoda and all she is. I am wanting the best for her and her family. If she really wants to make a difference in this world and "wellness" I want her to help us with the fentanyl epidemic. Her voice would go a long way to save so many lives, because she is so loved by all of us. My son, 31 years old, has been gone 6 months and 2 weeks now, and we really need more support to to save our children.
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Love ya gal best wishes
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These losers think they really matter like life can’t be with out them , all the money the idiot networks pay them ,only advertisers win ,drug companies ,get the old people there life is done ,hey they can’t take it with them🤣🤣🤣
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O
Wow! Bet your parents are proud!
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G
The country needs “steals and deals” because of the inflation caused by the party they shill for.
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It’s far past time for all of the morning show wannabe celebrities to retire. Cut their pay to nothing and recruit new talent, please. I’m not talking about age discrimination, I’m saying that it’s time for new, younger more talented people to get a chance to host the morning shows. Reduce the payroll and reduce the commercials and give the public a treat. It’s like watching Dorthy Fultime on the air for 60 years, when do they retire? Please, please, please get rid of them now.
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Yes you are talking about age discrimination. Frankly channel 4 News is a fine example of the younger generation of news anchors. God help us if that is what is in our future.
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I wish it was the warmonger’s arrogant daughter leaving the show.
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