Hoda Kotb Is ‘Open to Dating’ Again Amid Her ‘Today’ Departure But ‘It’s Not Her Priority’

Hoda Kotb’s schedule will change early next year when she marks her final episode of Today after nearly two decades on the program. But luckily, the longtime broadcaster has several things to look forward to that will keep her “busy” in the next chapter of her life, including looking for love.

“Hoda doesn’t get bored easily. She’ll keep busy,” an insider exclusively tells Closer. “She wants to be more hands-on with her girls, and she’s got a core group of friends that she will continue to see.”

“She’s open to dating, but while it’s not her priority, she’d love to find love again,” the source adds.
Hoda, 60, got engaged to Joel Schiffman in 2019, but the duo broke off their engagement in 2022. Since then, the bestselling author has shared that her heart is open to finding Mr. Right.

“I can see romance clearly, I just can. It’s how you know something is meant to be,” she told Page Six on August 12, three days after her 60th birthday.

“I thought 50 was great, but 60 may be it! I feel like this is the season of repotting and growth,” Hoda said. “There’s this feeling that the roots are up in the air, but then you land in this rich soil and you’re like, ‘Oh, more room to grow.’”

The NBC personality, who shares daughters Haley and Hope with Joel, 66, did go out on three dates with a mystery man earlier this year but decided to end things shortly after.

“I did go on the third date, but I did kind of decide in that space — because this person who’s a lovely human being has a lot of … things that are being worked out — that I think I’m looking for more … simplicity,” Hoda said during an August 20 episode of “The Jamie Kern Lima Show” podcast.

Hoda said that there was no bad blood between her and the guy after they decided to call it quits.

“That has been tabled beautifully, like, nothing funky, all good,” the mom of two shared. “He’s very cute, by the way, extremely handsome. I’ll show you a picture after, but [things are] tabled for now.”

Hoda envisions herself finding Mr. Right in the future. “I picture that — a great love down the road. And I see it,” she told People in an interview published on Thursday, October 10.

“It’s not like, ‘Boy, I wish. I hope.’ No. I see it,” she told the outlet. “I don’t know how it will and when it will come, but when I close my eyes, you know they say, ‘What can you see on the other side when you’re jumping?’ And I can see it.”

However, when asked if dating was a top priority on her agenda right now, she said, “It’s not at this particular moment.”

Still, her famous friends have been trying to hook her up with guys, including during a September 12 episode of Today when Jenna Bush Hager tried setting Hoda up with guest Lenny Kravitz. During the Wednesday, October 9, episode of the program, guest Ali Wong tried to set Hoda up with Eric André.

“Eric André is like obsessed with you,” Ali, 42, told Hoda. “Look, he’s a colorful dresser. He’s the host of his own show.”

Eric, 41, even dressed up as Hoda for Halloween once. “I asked him, when I was talking about dating, I was like, ‘What is your type?’ And he responded, ‘Hoda Kotb,’” Ali recalled.