Hoda Kotb is leaving NBC’s Today show early next year, she said in a surprise announcement Thursday morning.
Kotb, who has been part of the network for 26 years and the show’s co-anchor alongside Savannah Guthrie since 2018, said in an emotional on-air statement that turning 60 last month influenced her decision. “It was such a monumental moment for me,” she said, fighting back tears.
She said the landmark birthday led her to think about what the next decade of life would hold. “I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60,” Kotb said. “And to try something new.”
In a letter to colleagues Thursday, Kotb said she would be working on the show “through the beginning of 2025.”
“As I write this, my heart is all over the map,” she wrote. “I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one. And you all are the reason why. They say two things can be right at the same time, and I’m feeling that so deeply right now. I love you and it’s time for me to leave the show.”
Read More: Hoda Kotb Is Leaving NBC’s ‘Today’: ‘The Right Decision’
