Hoda Kotb. Nathan Congleton/NBC
Hoda Kotb is saying goodbye to Today with a week full of fun and heartfelt festivities.
The stars of the NBC morning show kicked off Kotb’s “Hoda-bration” on Monday, January 6, to mark her final week of episodes. “We’re gonna celebrate you, which is gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really easy,” Jenna Bush Hager said on Today With Hoda & Jenna before joking that she couldn’t even “hold my emotions for one minute.”
Kotb announced in September 2024 that she was leaving Today after nearly 30 years working at NBC, citing her 60th birthday and role as mom to daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, as the main reasons behind her decision.
“I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking they deserve a bigger piece of my time, the pie that I have. I feel like we only have a finite amount of time,” she explained on air at the time. “And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”
Kotb’s week-long “Hoda-bration” will conclude with a special episode of Hoda & Jenna filmed in front of a live studio audience on Friday, January 10. “There will be big surprises, lots of surprises that Hoda won’t even know about,” Bush Hager, 43, teased on a December 2024 episode of the series.
Following Friday’s episode, Bush Hager will continue to cohost the morning show’s fourth hour as Today With Jenna & Friends. She will be joined by a series of rotating guest hosts until a permanent replacement is picked. Craig Melvin, meanwhile, will take over Kotb’s role as Savannah Guthrie’s coanchor.
Before her official farewell, scroll down to see the biggest moments from Kotb’s final Today episodes:
A Sorority Surprise
The marching band from Kotb’s alma mater, Virginia Tech, performed at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Monday’s second hour of Today. After Kotb shared a hug with the school’s mascot, HokieBird, Guthrie surprised her colleague with 70 of her Tri Delta sorority sisters.
“They called us two weeks ago, and they said, ‘Can you get a few Tri Deltas?’” one of the sisters stated. “[Everybody] rallied, came from all over the country because we love you.”
A shocked Kotb hugged several members, including the woman who was her “little sister” in the group. “You guys, I was the pledge trainer for this sorority. It meant the absolute world to me,” she gushed. “I can’t believe you guys came. I’m shocked!”
Kotb went on to tell her sisters they had to hang out after the show. “Everybody’s at my house! Let’s go!” she exclaimed. “We gotta go out today. We have to. We’re making it happen.”
Heartfelt Home Décor
On Monday’s episode Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager gave Kotb a personalized gift from one of her favorite authors, Charlie Mackesy, who wrote The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Mackesy captioned a painting of the book’s titular characters with the message: “Hoda, every step you take is a victory. Love Charles.”
Kotb got emotional as she accepted the present. “First of all, I love him so much. His book has been life-changing for so many people, including me,” she gushed. “In fact, I actually have a framed, just a sketch, in my office, of just a sketch from his book. I can’t believe he did that.”
Bush Hager continued the fun by playing a special video message sent by Mackesy, 62. “I’m in the rain in London to say I’m wishing you all the luck in the world and all the blessings, and I hope your next step is fun,” he stated in the clip. “You’ve given so much and give so much and I hope you love what you’re gonna do next. And every single step you take is a victory, and thank you for including me on your journey with the book. I’m so grateful to you, always will be so grateful. Thank you, Hoda.”
A Long-Lasting Memory
During her interview on Monday’s Hoda & Jenna episode, actress and comedian Michelle Buteau recalled how Kotb showed her kindness during the early days of her career.
“You won’t remember this, but about 23 years ago, I was editing local news, WNBC overnights. … And it was off of the overnight [shift], you were coming in [for] the morning, and nobody said hi to me. They just gave me tape to edit,” she recalled. “Not only did you say hi to me, you looked in my eyes, through my soul and said, ‘How is your day?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t even know.’ And you’re like, ‘I get it.’
She continued: “And you won’t remember, but I remembered because I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s who I want to be. That’s how I want to make people feel: seen.’ No matter what they do, no matter what title they have, you look at somebody and you say, ‘How are you?’’ And you mean it. And so, that’s how I lead my show and my projects, and it’s the only way to live. So, thank you so much.”
The story made both Buteau, 47, and Kotb tear up. “Why did I wear lashes?” Buteau quipped.
An Emotional Reunion
On January 7, Guthrie reunited Kotb with the family of Erin Ludwig, who died of breast cancer in 2017. Ludwig was highlighted in one of Kotb’s “Pink Power” stories, which focused on breast cancer awareness. After first meeting Erin’s husband, Jason, and daughters, Savannah and Aubrey, in 2016, Kotb visited the family for a second time shortly after Erin’s passing and presented the young girls with teddy bears.
Six years later, Kotb cried when Savannah and Aubrey appeared on Today with Jason and brought nearly identical stuffed animals as gifts for Kotb’s daughters, Haley and Hope. The Today cohost embraced both of the girls for lengthy hugs, while Jason presented her with a bouquet of lilies — Erin’s favorite flower.
“We would not miss this for the world. When we first got the call that we were asked to come back, I sat with the girls, we talked, and without a doubt we all decided we wanted to come back and be here for you, Hoda,” Jason gushed. “You have touched our lives in ways you have no idea, and we’re just a small percentage of the people whose lives you’ve touched over your career.”
The interview ended on a sweet note when Aubrey gifted friendship bracelets to both Kotb and Guthrie.
Found Families
Kotb enjoyed another reunion with former guests on the January 7 episode of Hoda & Jenna. She previously profiled Christina Wong and Dean Kahn about their adoption journey and, while having the couple on the show, broke the news that they had been matched with a baby girl.
The couple introduced Kotb and Bush Hager to their daughter Jacqueline on Hoda & Jenna in celebration of Kotb’s final week on Today. “It’s been amazing,” Kahn said of the pair’s new life as parents. “I mean, she’s been everything we hoped for and more. It’s just so surreal. You think perfect’s not possible, and then it happens.”
Kotb and Bush Hager surprised the couple with a gift basket full of baby clothes, children’s books and Hoda & Jenna mugs. “And if she ever gets in trouble, that can all be sold on eBay,” Bush Hager joked.
Fan Art Favorites
Upon stepping out onto the Today Plaza to greet fans on January 8, Kotb’s cohosts surprised her by decorating the show’s barricades with posters fans brought for Kotb over the past month. “We created this beautiful collage, miss Hoda Kotb, because behind all of these signs, someone who loves Hoda Kotb handcrafted them and then carried them from all over the country, and they’ve been doing it for weeks now,” Melvin shared.
He went on to praise Kotb’s kindness toward Today viewers, stating: “Hoda’s always here. [She’s the] first one out of the door to say hello to the folks here on the plaza. And through all of the changing seasons, one thing has been constant — it’s Hoda Kotb.”
A tearful Kotb noted that the gesture meant “everything to her” and said she was surprised they kept so many posters. “I was thinking the other day, I was like, ‘I wish I had some of those to keep and to take home with me,’” she quipped.
A Sweet and Sour Gift
During the final installment of their “Can Hoda & Jenna Hack It?” segment, Kotb and Bush Hager tried one last lemon-related hack by placing a spray bottle nozzle into a lemon to easily get the juice. “I love a lemon hack,” Kotb stated on the January 8 episode of Hoda & Jenna.
Though the pair were not able to recreate the social media hack, Bush Hager ended the segment on a high note by gifting Kotb a lemon tree to plant at her new home. “That was super nice! Oh, my gosh!” Kotb exclaimed.
Happily Ever After
Kotb teared up watching a video package of all the proposals and weddings she’s helped out with and officiated over the years on Today’s January 9 episode. The footage highlighted one couple in particular, Mindy Shore and Ben Hebert, whom Kotb helped get engaged on the Today Plaza and later wed live on air in the same spot in September 2023.
As a special surprise, the couple traveled back to NYC to celebrate Kotb’s final episodes on the show. Mindy called their Today show wedding “the most special thing that could have ever happened to me,” especially having lost her mother last month. “It felt so serendipitous to have you be a part of our special day knowing all of the memories that I have with my mom coming here,” Mindy shared. “It just meant so much to me that you’re a part of our lives now.”
Kotb gave Mindy a hug after she was gifted an ornament featuring the pair’s wedding flowers. “We’re just so happy for you,” Mindy added. “People don’t know, but when you’re out here on the plaza and they cut to commercial, you are out there talking to people, giving them your heart. You are just so welcoming and I’m just so honored that we got to be a part of your story. And I’m so happy for you in this next chapter with your girls.”
Perfect Match
While chatting with Kotb and Bush Hager on the January 9 episode of Hoda & Jenna, Garten recalled a prior Today appearance before Kotb officially replaced Matt Lauer as Guthrie’s coanchor.
“I remember before you were cohost with Savannah, it was one of the first days they were trying to figure out what to do, and they sent you and Savannah into a cooking segment with me,” Garten stated. “And I thought that was really kind of unusual ‘cause usually, it was just one person. And the two of you were on fire. And I remember cooking and thinking, ‘Oh, they’re testing them together!’”
She added: “From the moment you two were together, it was just extraordinary.”
Garten went on to share the advice she shared with Kotb about her next chapter. “I said that you don’t have to figure out where you’re gonna be in a year or two. Just figure out what you want to do tomorrow,” she stated.
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