Hoda Kotb Says She’s Leaving ‘Today’ to Focus on Family—What’s Next for the Beloved Host?

On Thursday, September 26, Hoda Kotb announced she will step down as co-anchor of the Today Show in early 2025 to spend more time with her children. Kotb has co-anchored alongside Savannah Guthrie since 2017.

“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new,” Kotb said on Thursday morning’s show. “This is a time in life for looking inside you and figuring out what your yearnings are, your callings—where or what direction you’re headed during this new decade.”

Kotb joined NBC News in 1998 as a Dateline correspondent, covering a wide range of topics before joining the Today show in 2007. She started off hosting the show’s fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford before Jenna Bush Hager replaced her in 2019.

“We talk often about how brave it is to make the choice to be there for your family and to give up something that we all love so much,” Hager told Kotb in the news segment. “I think she realized she wants to wake up to those faces.”

Today show weatherman Al Rooker also praised his longtime friend and colleague, saying, “I have never known anybody like you. I’ve known you forever, and I love you.”

NBC has yet to announce who will replace Kotb in 2025, but she tearfully shared, “Happily and gratefully, I plan to remain a part of the NBC family, the longest work relationship I’ve been lucky enough to hold close to my heart. I’ll be around. How could I not?”

Hoda Kotb’s history at NBC News

Kotb has been at NBC News in one way or another for 17 years. She began on Dateline and later transitioned to the Today Show in 2007

In 2022, Kotb sat down with Woman’s World to talk about her time on the show, saying, “I love that it’s a place where my heart can rest. I don’t know if I’ve really ever had that professional experience until now. We try our best to deliver the news, all of it, the bad, the good and the inspiring, with kid gloves, and I feel like I can’t believe I get to work here.”

“I’m standing here in my dressing room looking at a picture of me, Al, Savannah, Carson, and everybody, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I get to work here!’ I would have never imagined this in my wildest dreams, but it’s real. My parents were right. You can do anything.”

Hoda Kotb talks about changes and faith

While leaving Today might be a big change for Kotb, she isn’t scared.

“I love beginnings, and I love fresh starts,” she told Woman’s World in 2024. “The whole idea of taking yourself up by the roots and putting yourself down in another spot that gives you room to grow, and I feel like that’s what I’ve done throughout my career and with my family.”

During that same interview, she revealed how much faith means to her and how it impacted her relationship with her kids. “I feel like my journey to god and my kid’s journey has really been kind of illuminating. I’ve always been close to God, but I think when you have kids, it’s sort of puts a magnifying glass on it.”

“My relationship with God and faith is very casual, and I want my kids to have that as well. Just feel connected. Be yourself. Do good things in this world, and know that God is hovering over you.”

So what’s next for Kotb? While she will be stepping away from her daily role on Today, she’s not retiring completely. She hinted that her future will still involve media and storytelling in some capacity, revealing, “I’ll always be a part of the NBC family, and I’m excited about exploring new projects.” Kotb also mentioned focusing on her own writing career—having already authored several books, including I Really Needed This Today, she’s passionate about connecting with readers and sharing stories that inspire.