Mariska Hargitay and Hoda Kotb Getty Images; WireImage
Hoda Kotb’s decision to leave the Today show is one that her friend Mariska Hargitay admired.
“I love you so much, and I’m so proud of you and inspired and I was excited to see you today,” Hargitay told Kotb, 60, at the end of her interview on the Tuesday, October 1, episode of the Today show. “And I’m so grateful to be able to say that because we’ve been together for 26 years, baby. And we’ve been together 60 years, baby.”
Kotb began her career at NBC as a correspondent for “Dateline” 26 years ago, shortly before Hargitay made her debut as Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” in 1999.
Referring to Kotb’s upcoming exit from the Today show, the actress continued: “So when you made your decision, you said yes!” I said: Yes! Oh my God, I’m sad for all of us in this country who will miss you, and most of all, [Savannah Guthrie](Kotb took over for Matt Lauer as Guthrie’s assistant in 2018.)
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The Hoda Kotb Show news coming out today is bittersweet for its hosts. “I just turned 60, and that was a landmark moment for me when I turned 60 because I started thinking about that decade, like, what does this decade mean? What does it hold? What will it be for me? A mogul,” […]
While an official replacement for Kotb has yet to be announced, Hargitay has put her name in the hat. “[I’m] “Happy to jump in anytime,” she joked. Guthrie, 52, was open to the idea, replying: “We might have to call you.”
Kotb surprised the audience today, Thursday, September 26, by announcing her retirement from the series. “I had just turned 60, and that was a landmark moment for me when I turned 60 because I started thinking about that decade, like, ‘What does this decade mean? What does it hold? What will it be for me?’” she said. “And I realized it was time for me to fold it.” Page turning 60 and trying something new.”
Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, and Mariska Hargitay. today
Kotb made the decision shortly after she celebrated her 60th birthday on the Today show. “I remember standing outside, looking at this beautiful group of people with all these great signs, and thinking, ‘This is what the crest of a wave feels like to me,’ and thinking, ‘It can’t get any better.'” And [I] This is the right time for me to move on,” she explained.
Her daughters — Haley, 7, and Hope, 5 — were a big factor, too. “They deserve a bigger chunk of my time, my pie,” Kotb said. “I feel like we only have a limited amount of time. And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.” (Kotb is raising her children with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.)
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Nathan Congleton/NBC Hoda Kotb’s nearly 20-year stint on the Today show was filled with many memorable moments. The TV personality announced in September 2024 that she would be leaving the popular morning show after 26 years on NBC, 16 years as co-anchor of the Today show and seven years as co-anchor of Savannah Guthrie. “I just turned around […]
Kotb will remain on the Today show until January 2025 and plans to remain in the NBC family for her future projects.
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Following news of the Today show shake-up, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that NBC is eyeing Laura Jarrett as Kotb’s replacement. “She’s the weekend presenter today; The insider noted that she is a lawyer like Savannah. “She’s a ‘Today’ show darling who has risen so quickly.”
Savannah Guthrie, Mariska Hargitay, and Hoda Kotb. Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
The source added: “The other option is that they can move around the marinas. They can put Craig [Melvin] With savannah, or they can put on a chenille [Jones] With the savannah.”
While Kotb said her family was the main reason for her departure, a Puck report later claimed that Kotb may have chosen to leave today after being asked to take a pay cut of more than $20 million. However, another source explained to us that “salary did not play any role in Hoda’s decision.”
