'Today' Fans Need to Read This Update on Hoda Kotb, Who Has Been Absent From the Show
Update, March 22, 4:30 p.m.:
Viewers of the Today show didn't get a chance to celebrate the first day of spring with their favorite co-host Hoda Kotb on March 20. A few days later, folks are still asking where Hoda is this week. Those tuning in may have noticed that the broadcast journalist has been absent during the first two hours of the show. Plus, her third hour program with Jenna Bush Hager has been airing reruns.
After Savannah Guthrie announced that Hoda is "on vacation" on March 21, People reported that she is taking time off this week to spend time with her daughters — Haley Joy, 6, and Hope Catherine, 3 — who are currently on spring break. According to the outlet, Jenna is also doing the same with her own children.
Update, March 6, 10:45 a.m.:
On Monday morning, Hoda Kotb returned to the Today show and addressed her absence at the top of the hour. Sitting alongside co-anchor Savannah Guthrie in Studio 1A, Hoda revealed the "family health matter" she had been dealing with off camera, involving one of her kids. As fans may know, she shares daughters Haley Joy, 6, and Hope Catherine, 3, with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.
“My youngest [daughter], Hope, was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week. I’m so grateful she’s home," she said on the NBC show. "I was waiting for that day to come and we are watching her closely. I am just so happy.”
NEW: Hoda Kotb returns to TODAY after handling her daughter’s health matter.
“I’m so grateful she’s home,” Hoda said. pic.twitter.com/z5f8herdyB— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 6, 2023
Hoda continued: “You know, what I realized too, Savannah? When your child is ill, the amount of gratitude you can have for people who helped you out. I’m grateful for the doctors ... and the nurses. I’m grateful to my family and to friends like you who were there every single day.”
Shortly before going on the air to share the personal news, she posted an inspirational quote from late actor Christopher Reeve on her Instagram. It appeared to be a sweet shoutout to her daughter. The quote read: "Once you choose hope, anything is possible."
Original, March 1, 2023, 12:45 p.m.:
After more than a week of Hoda Kotb's absence, Today show viewers are learning what's going on with the beloved host.
Since the NBC journalist's last appearance on February 20, fans have voiced concerns over where Hoda could be as other anchors like Willie Geist, Sheinelle Jones and Tom Llamas have stepped in for her. But during the third hour segment on March 1, Craig Melvin updated folks by explaining that she took time off to take care of a personal situation.
"We mentioned that Savannah [Guthrie] and Hoda are both off," he said on the show. "Savannah, she's home after a positive COVID test yesterday ... As for Hoda, we know a lot of you have been wondering how she's doing."
He continued: "We can tell you that Hoda's OK. She's got a family health matter that she's been dealing with, so we look forward to seeing Hoda and Savannah back at the desk real, real soon."
When word spread about what caused the Emmy Award-winning co-anchor to step back from her daytime job, fans immediately reached out to her with words of encouragement on social media.
"We miss you Hoda 🙏 ! Hoping everything is okay! Your laughter is so contagious that you are so deeply missed!" one fan wrote on Instagram. "Prayers for Hoda and family! Thank you for the update," another added. "❤️ Good thoughts, good vibes and lots of prayers sent y’alls way!!!" a different user wished for her.
Despite not personally commenting on what's going on behind the scenes, Hoda is updating her followers in her own way. Over the last week, she posted pictures to her Instagram featuring words of inspiration. In her most recent post, ;from February 27, her followers saw a photo of clouds in the sky alongside the phrase, "Choose Hope."
It's also important to note that TV isn't the only thing Hoda is taking time off from. As Deadline reported, she also hasn't updated her podcast Making Space with new episodes since February 20.
We're sending Hoda all of our love and we hope to see her back on the air very soon.
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