'Today' Show Fans Concerned as Hoda Kotb's Week-long Absence Continues

By Michael Hein

Hoda Kotb has been absent from The Today Show for well over a week now, and fans are getting concerned. The 58-year-old journalist last appeared live on the show on Friday, Feb. 17, and her extended time away has not been explained. Social media commenters are missing Kotb and are worried about her health and her family amid this unexplained sabbatical.

Kotb has been a staple of The Today Show since 2018 and has rarely spent this much time away from the studio. She appeared live on the Feb. 17 episode of the morning program and then co-hosted the Feb. 20 President's Day episode with Jenna Bush Hager. However, according to a report by Page Six the President's Day episode was pre-recorded on Feb. 17, which means that was the last time she was on camera.

Since then, Kotb's spot has been filled by Today's Craig Melvin, World News Tonight's Tom Llamas, Sunday Today's Willie Geist and Today's Sheinelle Jones. Her co-anchors have not explained Kotb's absence, saying only that Kotb is "out" for the day or that the replacement is "in" for her on that day.

Kotb herself has been filling her Instagram feed with inspirational quotes, some of which fans are trying to interpret as allusions to her absence. So far, Kotb and The Today Show have not commented directly on her absence. Here's a look at what fans are saying online.

COVID-19

Many fans fear that Kotb is dealing with a serious case of COVID-19 – especially after her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.

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Curious

Some fans felt that "worried" was a mischaracterization, believing that Kotb would be just fine. Still, curiosity about her absence ran wild.

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Object Lesson

Public health advocates felt that these absences were an important lesson in COVID-19 prevention. Even with vaccines and treatments available, many believe it is still important to take steps to minimize the chances of infection in the first place.

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Mysterious

While Guthrie's departure from the show on Tuesday was explained, fans wondered why no reason had been given for Kotb's absence.

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Theories

Some fans shared their theories and hope for Kotb as she remains off air. Some wondered if she was renegotiating her contract, which might explain why she has been vague on social media. Others hoped she was welcoming another child into her home.

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Direct Appeal

Of course, fans left comments on Kotb's posts asking questions about her absence and wishing her well.

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Fill-in Hosts

Finally, many fans posted their appreciation for Melvin, Jones and Geist along with the other fill-in hosts over the last two weeks. The Today Show airs on weekdays at 7 a.m. ET on NBC. There's no word yet on when Kotb might return to the show.

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