Hoda Kotb returned to “Today” on Wednesday morning for the first time since exiting as co-host. While there, she opened up a bit about why she truly left the show — and she doesn’t regret it.
Kotb first announced her exit in the Fall of 2024 and departed in January 0f this year. Though there were various reports as to why she decided to end her NBC run, ultimately, it came down to her daughter Hope, at least in part. As revealed Wednesday morning, Hope is living with Type 1 diabetes and Kotb wanted to be there to support both her kids.
“So many nights, Hoda would be up all night with Hope and then come in here with that smile on her face and she hadn’t slept a wink,” host Savannah Guthrie said during the show. “Or at every commercial break, checking to make sure [Hope’s] levels are where they’ve been and I bore witness to that. And it’s a burden to carry.”
Kotb agreed, but noted that her daughter is doing quite well. The former host also explained that leaving came down to “a priority check” for her, and she feels secure in her decision.
“I think you just get a priority check in your life. You know, I can be here and sweating what’s happening to Hope in the morning and in the night, or I can be there and feel relief, that I can see [her],” she explained. “But one thing I have learned about having Hope, and I think anyone who has a child who has extra needs, is I try not to put my worry on her.”
Though Kotb remains firm in her decision to leave, she noted that it came with mixed feelings, and still does.
“It’s such a weird sensation to know that something can be incredibly painful to leave behind and also be the right thing,” she admitted. “I have this weird rush of emotions right now, but I know what I’m doing — I feel like, what are we all doing here? If we can let people take off their heavy backpack and put it down, let’s do it.”
You can watch Hoda Kotb’s return to the “Today” show in the video above.
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