The Today Show on NBC has been a staple on America’s TV screens in the mornings for decades. But like any show that’s been on air for so long, Today has had several cast members come and go over the years.
From Katie Couric leaving in 2006 to Hoda Kotb leaving in 2025, let’s look back at some of the most popular hosts who are no longer on the show.
Barbara Walters
According to NBC, after working as a writer and researcher and occasionally making on-air appearances, the legendary journalist was officially named a Today co-host in 1974.
Afterward, Walters went to ABC and made history as the “first female co-anchor of a primetime news broadcast,” hosting the ABC Evening News. Per NBC, the icon — who died in 2022 at age 93 — received a hefty $1 million annual salary at ABC.
Katie Couric
In 1991, Couric started filling in for Today co-anchor Deborah Norville, who went on maternity leave. After Norville did not return, Couric became her official replacement that year and helped make the show a hit.
After 15 years at Today, the Peabody Award winner made the shift to CBS in 2006, where she worked as an anchor on the nightly news until 2011. Couric “is the first woman to solo anchor a network evening newscast,” per her website.
The beloved TV personality has returned to Today as a guest multiple times. In April 2024, she appeared on the show to discuss her new documentary, An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th, and received a warm welcome on the plaza as fans chanted her name out loud.
Meredith Vieira
Vieira took over for Couric in 2006 as co-anchor of Today. The broadcaster eventually left in 2011.
According to Today, Vieira left for family reasons letting viewers know on her last day in April 2011,”I know it’s right, but it’s hard.”
Matt Lauer
Lauer became a full-time news anchor for Today in 1994, and in 1997, he became a co-anchor for the Today Show alongside Couric. Lauer was an NBC staple, co-hosting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for many years and the opening ceremonies for the Olympics.
However, in November 2017, the disgraced journalist was fired from NBC after allegations of sexual misconduct came out.
In 2021, Couric appeared on Today to discuss her memoir Going There and spoke about Lauer, letting people know she has “no relationship” with him.
“As I got more information and learned what was going on behind the scenes, it was really upsetting and disturbing,” she admitted. “Then I did some of my own reporting. I talked to people. I really tried to excavate what had been going on, and you know, it was really devastating but also disgusting.”
Hoda Kotb
Kotb began serving as a correspondent for Dateline in 1998 and started hosting the fourth hour of Today in 2007. Then, in 2018, Kotb became co-anchor of Today along with Savannah Gutherie.
The morning show mainstay shocked fans in September 2024 after she announced that she would be leaving Today in 2025. Kotb’s last day was on January 10, 2025.
Kotb, who shares adopted daughters Haley, borb and Hope, born, with ex-fiance Joel Schiffman, cited wanting to devote more time to her family as one of the reasons behind her exit.
“Obviously, I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have,” she explained on a September episode of Today. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time.”
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