Hoda Kotb Teases Celine Dion’s Big Comeback Performance Amid Singer’s Illness: ‘There’s Something’

Hoda Kotb teased that Céline Dion’s return to the stage might be sooner than we think! The Today host shared a big secret about the singer during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Tuesday, July 9.

“First of all, she’s an incredible fighter. I had no idea what she had been through, how close she came at some point to actually not surviving it,” Hoda, 59, said. “And now here she is, and she’s singing again.”

The broadcaster interviewed Céline, 56, on Today on June 11, detailing her struggles with stiff person syndrome before the release of her documentary, I Am: Celine Dion. Hoda maintains that the bombshell about a potential performance came from Céline’s manager, who was on set during the interview.

“Her manager was off camera, and I was like, ‘So what’s going on? When are you performing again?’ And she goes, ‘Can I tell her?'” Hoda explained. “And her manager goes, ‘No!’ He screams, ‘No.’ I was like, there’s something.”

While Céline and her team have made no official announcements about her returning to the stage, Hoda and costar Savannah Guthrie chatted about how they would like to see the Grammy winner appear at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

“That would be amazing! Oh, I just got chills,” Savannah, 52, said.

“That would be amazing, but I don’t know,” Hoda admitted. “I know she’s going to be performing live again, though. I don’t know where.”

Host Andy Cohen chimed in to give his opinion on why he does not think Céline will be making a surprise appearance at the Paris Olympics.

“I think it’s not gonna be and here’s why. I think it would be amazing, but my understanding is that this is something she can’t control,” he said. “And so, if it was something so set …” he trailed off.

During her interview with Hoda, Céline promised that she would come back to the stage again in the future.

“I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to talk with my hands. I will. I will,” she said during the segment. “I am Céline Dion, because today my voice will be heard for the first time, not just because I have to, or because I need to. It’s because I want to. And I miss it.”

“You better be ready,” she added.

However, Céline explained her approach to performing will be a little different and it’s “going to be hard.” The “My Heart Will Go On” singer first revealed her stiff person syndrome diagnosis to the world in December 2022. Stiff person syndrome “is a rare, chronic condition that causes muscle stiffness and painful muscle spasms,” per Cleveland Clinic. There’s no cure but medication and treatment can help slow the progression of the illness.

“I’m not going to scare my fans. I’m not going to come home tonight and tell my kids that I had to stop the show,” Céline said through tears on Today. “I’m going to come on stage because I’m ready. And my vocal cords will not scare me, because I’m going to be ready, and I’m going to hit those notes.”