Al Roker ‘Thrilled’ Hoda Kotb Is Leaving ‘Today’
Hoda Kotb announced last Thursday that she is leaving Today, and her last days will be at the start of 2025. Her colleagues at Today have pretty much universally been emotional about the news. While they are sad to see her go, most are happy to know she is leaving to spend more time with her kids.
Al Roker was asked about this, and he said that it is hard to “feel sadness” about the news, and he is “thrilled” that Hoda Kotb is leaving. Here is what he said about the upcoming changes.
Al Roker “Thrilled” To See Hoda Kotb Leave Today
On Thursday, September 26, Hoda Kotb let fans know she was leaving Today as one of its hosts. She has worked on the show as a host for 17 years. She initially worked with Kathy Lee Gifford and has since worked with others, including Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Hager Bush.
She has also worked with Al Roker, 70; through it all, the two remained close as colleagues on the series. Roker attended the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston on Saturday, September 28, and spoke to PEOPLE about Hoda leaving the morning talk show. He said he was “thrilled” to see her finally leaving Today.
“Will I miss her day to day? Sure. But I’m just so thrilled for her that I can’t possibly feel any sadness,” Al said. “Here’s the thing. I would feel much worse if she was leaving, but she’s just doing something else within our NBC News family.”
Hoda has two kids: daughters – Haley, 7, and Hope, 4. They moved into a house in the suburbs recently, and she made the decision to leave Today as a host so she could spend more time with her children.
What Is Hoda Kotb Doing Next?
Al Roker specified that Hoda Kotb isn’t leaving NBC and will do something else for the network. At first, it seemed she was retiring and moving on to enjoy a home life with her kids. However, she seems to have something planned at NBC after she stops hosting.
“I’m very fortunate in that I’ve watched my kids grow up, especially when [my daughter] Courtney was younger. I was in local news, so I was home in the morning with my kids,” Al said. “Those moments, those kids grow up,” he says. “I mean, it’s cliché, but because it’s true. It’s like you blink. So I understand exactly why she did it'”
Hoda has been with NBC for 26 years. She will continue hosting Today until the start of 2025, after which she will remain with the network in a different capacity. What that is remains to be seen.
What are your thoughts on Al Roker breaking down why Hoda Kotb leaving is such a good thing for the mother of two? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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