Shocking Real Reason Hoda Kotb Is Leaving ‘Today?’
Hoda Kotb dropped a bomb on everyone last week when the Today co-anchor announced she would be leaving the morning show in early 2025. She initially told everyone that she wanted to spend more time with her children. However, it seems like there may have been some kind of financial motivation behind her departure.
Did Hoda’s Rumored Pay Cut Play A Role?
A media executive spoke to Puck News about Hoda Kotb’s salary on Today. The broadcast journalist has been in the co-anchor role alongside Savannah Guthrie for six years.
She first took the seat after Matt Lauer was ousted from the network following sexual abuse allegations. Apparently, she made a significant amount of money in her new position.
It was reported that Hoda was making more than $20 million a year at Today. But it is possible viewers at home may see more shakeups in the coming months and years.
“This is the age of the great resetting of TV news contracts,” the media exec revealed. “Everyone is getting their pay cut or their jobs eliminated.”
Many executives at NBC are finding it harder to justify these eight-figure salaries when the TV industry isn’t bringing in the ratings it used to. Ten years ago, Today brought in 5 million viewers per episode. Now, it’s only bringing in an average of $2.8 million.
Hoda Kotb Has Been Considering Leaving For A While
While the media executive hinted at money being a reason behind Hoda Kotb leaving the talk show, a source close to the Today co-anchor said that it played no role in her decision.
“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new. This is the right time for me to move on,” Hoda said through tears on Thursday’s show.
The beloved broadcast journalist spoke about her daughters, Haley and Hope. She said that they deserved a bigger slice of her “time pie” now.
In a separate statement, she talked about how she’d been thinking about leaving the show for a while. Her “a-ha” moment happened during her 60th birthday celebration on the morning show.
“I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while — Am I truly ready?” she said. “But, my 60th birthday celebration on the Plaza felt like a shift. Like a massive, joyful YES, you are! I saw it all so clearly: my broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie. I will miss you all desperately, but I’m ready and excited.”
As fans know, this announcement comes after nearly 30 years on the network for Hoda. As mentioned above, she became co-anchor on Today in 2018.
Her departure shocked viewers at home, who have been sharing their well-wishes with Hoda on social media.
One Instagram user summed it up best, “Two things can be true at the same time: we are sad for us but thrilled for Hoda.”
Hoda is expected to exit the morning show in early 2025.
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