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Hoda Kotb Says She ‘Thought About’ Jenna Bush Hager Before Making Decision to Leave ‘Today’
After revealing that she will be leaving Today, Hoda Kotb opened up about why it was one of the hardest decisions she has ever had to make. The shocking news devastated her costars and viewers at home. During the September 26 episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna, Hoda, 60, cried while talking to cohost Jenna Bush Hager about closing this incredible chapter of her career.
“I just took a deep breath and I thought about you, of course, because it’s like certain relationships are one in a million. And this is,” Hoda said with tears streaming down her face. “And that’s why it’s hard because saying goodbye to something that’s not working, something that’s tired, something you don’t want is easy. But saying goodbye to something that’s amazing is hard.”
Jenna, 42, chimed in to say, “It’s really hard.” Her face was covered in tears during the candid chat with her cohost. They shared a warm embrace, which was captured in a video posted by the show’s official Instagram page.
Earlier in the day, Hoda was joined by Jenna and Today cohosts Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones as she publicly made the announcement that she would be leaving the show early next year.
“It’s not over,” Jenna told Hoda. “I’m going to be showing up at your house like the stalker you are to Zac Brown. I will be there on your doorstep, and we are your friends forever.”
They have both a great friendship on the show and off, as they’ve spent a lot of time together over the years with each other’s families.
Savannah, 52, was so emotional that one of her fake eyelashes ended up falling off of her face. “Here’s my lash,” she said as it came off of her face while wiping tears way. She playfully passed it to some of her costars who were a bit grossed out. “I don’t want to hold a lash, that’s OK,” Al, 70, said.
And although she is leaving Today, Hoda confirmed that she will still remain a part of the NBC family. While her exact next career move has not been officially announced, it seems like she has big plans for what’s in store.
“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new,” she said in a letter to Today staffers. “I remembered standing outside looking at these beautiful bunch of people with these gorgeous signs, and I thought, ‘This is what the top of the wave feels like for me.’ And I thought it can’t get better, and I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on.”
Ultimately, Hoda, who is a mom to kids Haley and Hope, feels like she made the right decision.
“As I write this, my heart is all over the map,” the mom of two wrote. “I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one. And you all are the reason why. They say two things can be right at the same time, and I’m feeling that so deeply right now. I love you and it’s time for me to leave the show.”
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