'Today' Show Crew Gives Hoda Kotb Standing Ovation After She Announces Her Exit
Hoda Kotb will be leaving the 'TODAY' show in early 2025.
Hoda Kotb is getting her flowers from the TODAY show team following her announcement that she would be leaving the NBC daytime show after 17 years. After Kotb, 60, shared the news on Thursday that she would be making her exit in early 2025, her teary-eyed announcement was met by a standing ovation from the entire crew of the morning show.
In a behind-the-scenes video shared on X (formerly Twitter), Kotb can be seen soaking up the love and hugging a coworker as co-stars Savannah Guthrie, Sheinelle Jones, and Jenna Bush Hager joined in the crew-wide applause for her. "We love you so very much, Hoda!" the show captioned the sweet video.
We love you so very much, Hoda! 🧡 pic.twitter.com/UGwLLHlFxL
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 26, 2024
Kotb had previously shared that turning 60 inspired her to "try something new" in her life in order to spend more time with daughters Haley and Hope, whom she adopted in 2017 and 2019, respectively. "I had my kiddos later in life and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have. I feel like we only have a finite amount of time. And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world," she tearfully told her co-stars.
Kotb continued, "I'm gonna be here through the first of the year – past the first of the year – and I'm gonna stay in the NBC family, but it's kind of a big deal for me."
It was then that Guthrie, 52, chimed in to pay tribute to her longtime co-host and friend. "Honestly, I don't think any of us can imagine – we won't wanna imagine this place without you," she said. "So it's complicated because we love you so much and we don't want you to ever go. But also, I just want to say, I am so proud of my friend. You have guts. For someone to leave at the top of their game, to leave something that's wonderful, that you love, where it's easy and comfortable and beautiful and fun and say, 'But I dream even bigger for myself.'"
Bush Hager, who co-hosts Today with Hoda & Jenna, with Kotb, joked, "It's not over. I'm gonna be showing up at your house, like the stalker you are to Zac Brown. I'm gonna be there on your doorstep. And we are your friends forever."
