Last week, The Today Show fans were hit with a major surprise, as longtime co-host Hoda Kotb announced that she’d be leaving the program in early 2025. Rumors have since swirled around the situation, specifically in regard to the exact reasons for her exit. Kotb herself explained that her two daughters and her desire to be there for them greatly factored into her decision to step down. Yet, as the media personality sent a sweet message to her fans after revealing her exit, a report suggests her choice involved millions of dollars.
How Did Hoda Kotb Address The Fans After Announcing Her Departure?
The 60-year-old confirmed her decision to step away from her Today hosting duties during a broadcast, where she also confirmed that she’d remain with NBC in an unspecified role after hosting. Visibly emotional, she also thanked her co-hosts, such as Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker, for their love and support over the years. Filled with gratitude, the NBC veteran eventually took to her Instagram to address the fans. She shared a simple message, which conveyed just how much she appreciates the support she’s received from them. Check it out:
Considering how successful Hoda Kotb has been in the broadcast journalism industry, it’s understandable that she’d have plenty of thank yous to dish out. But, it goes without saying that she herself has more than proven her talents on her own. The news of her exit from the NBC morning show is likely still difficult for some to swallow, given how much of a mainstay she’s been. And, per an insider, people at Today were surprised by Kotb’s decision. Of course, when money is involved, anything is seemingly possible.
What Apparently Led To Hoda Kotb’s Decision To Leave The Show?
It would appear that the former Dateline NBC correspondent has been highly compensated at this point of her tenure on Today. According to Puck, Hoda Kotb is currently earning more than $20 million per year at the network. The news outlet claims that this became a point of contention with the powers that be. While the network’s execs apparently loved Kotb and appreciated how valuable she was as a brand, they reasoned that such a largue contract is no longer feasible. That’s because of the change in the media landscape, which has seen even the biggest networks pull in fewer viewers.
Ms. Kotb isn’t the only one who’s reportedly been paid big bucks by “the Peacock Network” in recent years. Savannah Guthrie is also reportedly making more than $20 million a year and, before Matt Lauer was fired for inappropriate conduct, he earned $25 million. As noted by Puck, this latest decision involving Kotb represents a larger movement within the TV industry:
This is the age of the great resetting of TV news contracts. Everyone is getting their pay cut or their jobs eliminated. In the coming year, some big names will announce they want to spend more time with their kids or families or write new chapters. And that may be true. But they also don’t want to work for less money even though they have already made a fortune.
Looking ahead, it could be tough to replace Hoda Kotb, who remains a popular personality. Just this summer, she made headlines for her Olympics coverage, during which she and Tom Cruise went viral for a photo they took. Despite that, it’s been alleged that Today’s Saturday edition co-anchor, Laura Jarrett, could be up for the job. Time will tell how the situation shakes out but, in the interim, one might assume viewers will relish the remainder of Kotb’s stint on the show.
You can catch the veteran newswoman on The Today Show when the weekday edition of the show airs at 7 a.m. ET on NBC. The show can also be streamed with a Peacock subscription.