Hoda Kotb announced Thursday that she would not be returning to the Today show after 17 years on the air. She explained how she wanted to spend time with her daughters

Hoda Kotb announced that she will be leaving the Today show on Thursday, September 26 on air and revealed that she will not be returning to the morning show next year. She has been with the NBC network for 26 years and interviewed many big names like Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Kim Kardashian, Will Smith, Simone Biles, Jennifer Lopez, and others.

She told viewers: “I just turned 60 and it was such a monumental moment for me because I started to think about that decade like what does that decade mean, what does it hold, what does it have for me and I realized it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new.”

Why did Hoda Kotb leave the Today Show?

Hoda had been with Today for 17 years ( 
Image:
AP)
Hoda made the decision to leave Today, to not only try something new but to also focus on her two daughters, Haley and Hope. She adopted Haley in 2017 and Hope in 2019 with her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman. She admitted that she had kids “late in life and they deserve a bigger piece of my time.”

She said: “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time.”

Hoda admitted that exiting the show was “the hardest thing in the world,” while trying to hold in her tears as she was surrounded by her fellow colleagues.

How long has Hoda Kotb been on Today?

The iconic anchor has been with the Today show for 17 years. She and her co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, made history when they became the first pair of female co-hosts on the show. Hoda also made historic memories with her co-host Jenna Bush Hager.

The Today Show stage was the place where Hoda shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and shared updates with her TV family and viewers at home. It was also where she announced that she was cancer-free.

Who will replace Hoda?

Hoda revealed that she would still be working with the network ( 
Image:
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
It was not revealed who would be replacing Hoda in 2025, but she did share that she would stay with the network in some capacity.

Savannah held Hoda’s hand and told her that “they do not want to see this place without” her and “do not want to see her go.” Her colleagues, Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and Jenna, all shared their kind and heartfelt words to Hoda.

What is Hoda’s net worth?

Hoda’s estimated net worth is around $30 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. This comes from her various pursuits as well as hosting Today. She was a former Dateline NBC correspondent, the author of six best-selling books, and the former host of Today’s fourth hour. From 2015 to 2022, she also hosted a show on SiriusXM twice a week.