Hoda Kotb Absent From 'Today' Again Weeks After Unplanned Hiatus
Hoda Kotb is taking time to be with her daughters following her 3-year-old daughter Hope's recent health scare. The TODAY anchor, 58, will be out for the week on vacation, her co-star Savannah Guthrie announced at the top of Tuesday's show, with Craig Melvin continuing to fill in throughout the week for Kotb.
Kotb is mom to daughter Hope and 6-year-old daughter Haley, whose spring break schedule coincides with the journalist's vacation week, PEOPLE reports. Jenna Bush Hager is also out for the week, which means the duo's segment, Today With Hoda & Jenna, will air pre-recorded episodes this week. Hager is mom to daughters Mila, 9, and Poppy, 7, as well as son Hal, 3.
Kotb's vacation comes following an unexpected absence from the TODAY show in late February and early March, which she explained upon her return on March 6 occurred because Hope had been hospitalized after several days in the ICU. "Little Hope had to go to the hospital and she was in the ICU for a few days and then in the hospital for another week and it was really scary," the I've Loved You Since Forever author announced on the air upon her return. "She's vibrant and brilliant. She's home. She's home. She's home. I'm over the moon that she's home."
While Kotb didn't publicly discuss details of the health scare that led to Hope's hospitalization, she did reflect on all of the people who had been there for her family during the difficult time. "That's the thing I learned through all this. The nurses who stood by her all the way. The nurses who checked on her constantly, the doctors who came in, the people who took care of us. I felt like we were held," she continued.
Thursday, the daytime host also shared a bit of how Hope's recovery was impacting her other daughter. "We fall short," Kotb said of her role as a parent. "I was even thinking this too. You know, Hope hasn't been feeling great, and all the attention's on Hope and Haley wonders too. Like, 'I'm here, see me. I need something, too. Carry me. Do what you're doing for Hope.'" She continued, "It's weird, but I feel like I got most of my resilience in life because of that. You didn't expect to always be seen and heard."