Fans of The Today Show were left in despair over the announcement that Hoda Kotb is leaving the show sometime in the 2025 TV schedule. The host, who celebrated her 60th birthday this year, has been a fixture on NBC’s mornings for over a decade but has now decided to devote more time to her young daughters. It wasn’t just those of us watching at home who were caught off-guard by the news, either; apparently “most people” at the show were surprised to learn of her impending exit, and Carson Daly revealed what his first thought was when he heard.
Carson Daly joined Today in 2013, so Hoda Kotb has been there for the entirety of his tenure. Talking to People following her tearful September 26 announcement, Daly admitted that his initial reaction was to think about how the decision affected him, and it made him “sad”:
Because selfishly, when she does eventually go, I won't be able to see her every day. That's the first thing. … When you love somebody… it is such a family. It can't be faked.
I think it’s only human for your first response to be centered around your own emotions, and with Hoda Kotb being such an icon at the network, one can imagine how that news would come as a shock. Carson Daly continued:
When you actually love the people you work with, it makes it that much more enjoyable. So that was my first thought. Then my second thought was just being so happy for her that she's made a decision that's better for her and her family and her life moving forward. So yeah, she's the best.
It sounds like Carson Daly truly loves Hoda Kotb, and while he will miss getting to see her every day, he understands that this is the decision that’s best for her family, and he is supportive of that.
When Hoda Kotb made her announcement — wearing a very meaningful piece of jewelry that underscored her priorities — she talked about giving her children Haley Joy, 7, and Hope Catherine, 5, “a bigger piece of my time pie.” As disappointed as The Voice host and their colleagues may be, that’s not really a reason anyone can argue with.
As for who will replace Hoda Kotb, Carson Daly isn’t concerned about that right now, saying:
There's quite a lot of time for that. … We're celebrating her and glad she's still in the building.
The longtime Today co-host assured fans that she was remaining a part of the NBC family in some capacity, but no details of her post-Today plans have been revealed outside of her commitment to her children.
While Carson Daly may have been shocked by Hoda Kotb’s news, Savannah Guthrie was not necessarily surprised, given the conversations they’d had about life and what they wanted from it. Guthrie herself was allegedly planning her own exit from the morning show when Kotb took the leap, according to rumors.
Jenna Hager Bush may also have been in the know about her Today co-host’s decision, as the two reportedly had several conversations about it.
In the end, it’s safe to say that most fans were taken aback by the news and probably — like Carson Daly — experienced some selfish feelings about it. At least we’ve got several more months to soak up all of that Hoda Kotb goodness, as she will remain with The Today Show for at least the rest of the 2024 TV schedule.