HODA Kotb joined The Today Show in 2007 and she’s maintained her position as co-host since her first appearance.
When the morning series regular was not on air on August 8, 2022, viewers wondered the reason behind her sudden absence.
Why is Hoda Kotb not on The Today Show?
The Today Show viewers noticed that Hoda Kotb was absent from her hosting duties on August 8, 2022.
Her absence comes the day before she is due to celebrate her 58th birthday and she will reportedly be off the show for the remainder of the week.
During a live performance with country music star Walker Hayes, Savannah Guthrie surprised Hoda by asking Hayes to sing Happy Birthday to her.
“You know that Hoda is probably your number one fan,” Guthrie told him.
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Hayes obliged, with the rest of the crowd joining in.
“I love you! Thank you that was super sweet,” Kotb told him and the rest of the group.
Although Kotb will reportedly be absent for her birthday week, the Hoda and Jenna Instagram page announced the guest hosts for the week will include comedian and talk show host Michelle Collins and news personality and Emmy-nominated host, Justin Sylvester.
Is there a feud between Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb?
Kotb’s absence from The Today Show comes as an ongoing feud has allegedly continued behind the scenes for months.
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The Sun exclusively reported in June that despite their apparent camaraderie on-screen, the pair secretly “can’t stand each other.”
“Savannah is the boss. After Matt Lauer was ousted, Savannah grabbed power, and she really wanted Willy Geist in Hoda’s role, but his ratings were just not up to par for the network,” the source told The Sun.
“Hoda out maneuvered Savannah and got the spot.”
The source continued: “[Savannah] thinks of herself as a real news person,” while Hoda is seen as “the lightweight that drank wine with Kathy Lee Gifford.”
Their uncomfortable and at times awkward relationship was noticed by viewers on July 15, when cookbook author Elizabeth Heiskell made a guest appearance on The Today Show.
Guthrie was assisting Heiskell, and as she mixed a salad, Kotb walked to the table and asked: “Wait – are we done?”
Savannah replied: “Yea that’s it. Moving on. We’ll just move on, we don’t have time for all that,” as she dismissively waved her hand in front of Hoda, cutting off the guest from speaking.
The co-hosts revealed some animosity toward each other when Guthrie said in an interview with Good Housekeeping that she had shared a clip with Kotb featuring her singing and told her not to share it with anyone.
However, Kotb admitted in a March interview that she had sent it to ten people and had told The New York Times about Guthrie’s secret talent.
“I said ‘I sent this to you for your eyes only’ and then she like added ten,” Guthrie told Good Housekeeping.
Speaking in an interview, Kotb said: “Savannah once sent me the most beautiful song and said ‘Please don’t share it with anyone.’
“But I didn’t know what she meant by ‘anyone,’ and I asked some people ‘Who do you think this is?’ and it was you [Savannah].
“Remember that time you got mad? You got mad at me.”
Savannah added: “You’re lucky I don’t hold a grudge, I forgot, but now I’m mad again.”
Is Hoda Kotb married?
Hoda Kotb had started a relationship with New York financier Joel Schiffman in June 2013.
The couple met after Hoda was speaking at an event for Wall Street professionals.
On November 25, 2019, Hoda announced live on Today that she was engaged to Schiffman.
“I was totally shocked,” she told the Today panel. “He had a good poker face.”
“We ended up having a little dinner on the beach,” she said, clarifying that the two were in the middle of a tropical vacation.
“And he was like, ‘I have something else I would like to say,’ and he said some beautiful things, and then he got down on one knee. Then he said, ‘Would you be my wife?”’
The pair have two adopted daughters together: Haley Joy Kotb and Hope Catherine Kotb.
However, in June 2022, the couple announced that they had ended their relationship.
