HODA Kotb has revealed in a new exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun that her Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager has set her up on a date with a new man.
Two months after Hoda revealed on Today that she “implicitly” trusted her pals Savannah Guthrie and Jenna to find her a guy to date, she provided an update on her colleagues’ mission.
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Hoda Kotb exclusively told The U.S. Sun that her Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager found her a guy to go on a date withCredit: Getty
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Jenna had previously promised her co-host that she would work on setting Hoda up on a dateCredit: Getty
Jenna, at the time, noted that she was “working on it,” while joking with Savannah that it’s become a competition between them to find their co-star someone special.
The TV personality spoke to The U.S. Sun on May 15 at the 27th Annual Webby Awards in New York City ahead of accepting the award for Best Interview/Talk Show Podcast for Making Space with Hoda Kotb.
“Truthfully, Jenna sent me a text on some guy who she says I’m going out with,” Hoda, 58, admitted.
“He seems very cute. I haven’t met him yet, but Jenna is true to form.
“She said she’s gonna set me up and she never disappoints.”
When asked for more details about the mystery man, Hoda disclosed: “He is not a celebrity. He’s an architect.”
She then went on to explain that she “isn’t sure anymore” if she cares so much about a prospective suitor’s career.
“You know, I don’t think profession is really, like, I don’t think that’s a type thing for me. I almost sometimes would like not to know what they did and then, like, after three weeks for them to tell you.
“You’re like, ‘Oh wait, I had no idea.’ But he is an architect, so we’ll see.
“I’m ready! Let’s go!” she concluded.
BALANCING IT ALL
The Today co-anchor seemed excited while speaking to The U.S. Sun on the red carpet about her upcoming date.
She also was eager to attend the Webby Awards, but mentioned that she wouldn’t be letting loose too much since she had to wake up early the next day for work.
“It’s a little weird, right? Because my alarm goes off at 3:00 AM, which is, like, the middle of the night, and it is a little bit weird.
“So I try to keep the drinking to a minimum when I’m out at night, so I can wake up and function,” Hoda told The U.S. Sun.
The mom of two went on to explain how she balances her busy career with motherhood and getting back in the dating scene.
“I think I just follow the mantra, ‘Be here now,’ like wherever you are.
“Like, I’m with you right now. That’s where I’m gonna be. I’m not like, ‘Are my kids in bed? What happened?’ I don’t know. ‘Who am I interviewing tomorrow?'” she shared.
“Like, be here now for this, be here now for my kids, be here now at work. And I think if you do that, you’ve sort of made your day work for you.”
TAKING A STEP BACK?
Last month, The U.S. Sun exclusively reported that the Emmy Award-winning journalist was “ready to cut back” from her full-time job so that she could be a “hands-on” mom and focus on her daughter Hope’s health issues.
The four-year-old was in the Intensive Care Unit for over a week battling a serious health issue. This lead to Hoda being absent from Today for two weeks.
When asked if she would consider taking a longer break from work to spend more time at home, Hoda seemed to reason that she has enough time in a day to focus on work and focus on her children.
“I mean, there’s 24 hours in a day and eight you sleep, and then eight you’re at work, and then your kids are at school for a lot of that too.
“So I think there is ample time. I think it’s the time that they’re not at school and I’m not at work, which is really our time,” she told The U.S. Sun.
“That’s the time that matters. And that’s the time you have to make count. Like, being around to be around isn’t really helpful.
“But I do think when you are together to make those moments real and count.”
Hoda’s mantra carried over when accepting her award inside Cipriani Wall Street on Monday night.
After Wilmer Valderrama presented her with her trophy, she gave her five-word speech: “Listen. Love, love, love. Bye!”
She attended the award ceremony with her Making Space team.
‘ON THE MEND’
Earlier this month, Hoda spoke to The U.S. Sun at the Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame where she gave an update on Hope’s progress.
“She’s doing better. She is on the mend, and we are taking it one step at a time,” Hoda said at the time.
A few days later, she praised her daughters in an emotional post for Mother’s Day.
She wrote at the time: “Happy mother’s day! Hopey and Haley— you made me what I had always dreamed of becoming— a mother. And to my mom— nothing was even possible without your love xoxo.”
Hope and the NBC star’s six-year-old daughter Haley, were adopted by Hoda and her ex Joel Schiffman.
The former couple began dating in 2013, got engaged in November 2019, and then parted ways in January 2022.
They remain friends and continue to co-parent their two kids.
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Wilmer Valderrama presented Hoda with the award for Best Interview/Talk Show Podcast at the Webby Awards on May 15Credit: Getty
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Hoda was engaged to ex Joel Schiffman before they broke it off in January 2022Credit: Instagram/Hoda Kotb
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Hoda gushed about her two kids and her mom in a Mother’s Day post
