SINGLE mom Hoda Kotb will finally focus on dating and looking for love after leaving her stressful job at Today.
An insider exclusively told The U.S. Sun that Hoda, 60, is looking forward to reclaiming the personal life she lost to her “grueling” Today gig.
Hoda Kotb, here on Today, is changing her career high for a greater quality of life[/caption]
Hoda was spotted in March with a mystery man in photos exclusively obtained by The U.S. Sun[/caption]
The source said that Hoda, who broke off her engagement to her longtime fiance Joel Schiffman in 2022 after eight years of dating, wants another chance at love.
“She wants a boyfriend, she wants to be able to date, she wants to have that in her life,” the insider revealed.
Hoda was seen with a mystery man back in March in photos exclusively obtained by The U.S. Sun.
Today’s fourth-hour co-star Jenna Bush Hager has done her best to set up Hoda in recent years but didn’t have any success.
Hoda was previously married to tennis coach Burzis Kanga from 2005 to 2008.
MORE THAN MONEY
The source added that NBC had tried to convince the beloved host to stay at Today.
“For the last year, they were trying to convince her to stay. They didn’t want her to go, so they actually sweetened the pot and she was offered more money, but she just doesn’t want to do it,” the insider added.
“Hoda feels at 60 years old, that morning TV is a young person’s game. If you get up at three or four in the morning, it messes up your whole life.
“She started falling asleep during dinner. She had told me she has dinner ridiculously early because she’s been up since four, her whole rhythm is screwed up.”
The source said Hoda wants more of her life back, and it comes down to more time with her girls and finding love again.
ALL ABOUT THE GIRLS
The single mother was grappling with not having enough time to dedicate to her two kids, Hope, 5, and Haley, 7.
The insider said that Hoda wants to be fully present for her girls, but that “she’s just completely wiped by the time it gets around to after school.”
They also added that everything changed when her daughter Hope fell ill last year.
“When Hope was sick and hospitalized, everything changed for her with her views on work,” they added.
Hoda’s youngest daughter was hospitalized in February 2023 in a frightening incident, though the protective mother kept her child’s medical diagnosis private.
At the end of the day, the host struggled to create a healthy work-life balance.
HODA’S NBC LEGACY
Hoda’s illustrious career at NBC spans well over two decades.
Hoda joined the NBC network in 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline.
She became a standout once paired with Kathie Lee Gifford in the 10 am hour of Today in 2008.
During her time on the show, Hoda was open about her battle with breast cancer and her fertility struggles.
Fans of the show then watched as she adopted her two daughters; first in 2017 and then in 2019.
She was also vocal about her daughter, Hope’s, scary medical crisis.
Hoda continued in the fourth hour after Jenna Bush Hager replaced Kathie Lee.
She was then named an interim co-anchor along with Savannah after Matt Lauer’s firing from the network in late 2017.
Hoda and Savannah became the first female-led duo to co-anchor Today since its premiere in 1952.
A recent highlight of her time on Today was the previously mentioned birthday surprise.
Hoda’s co-anchors shocked her with an hour-long celebration in August honoring her 60th birthday
“I think people don’t realize to be on morning TV, it’s like being an athlete. Your whole life is about that.”
The insider said Hoda’s bedtime of eight o’clock meant that her growing girls were now having a later bedtime than their mom, and that was just one of the many issues.
“Hoda’s 60th birthday was a wake-up call that morning TV is a young person’s game, and the hours just get harder as you get older.”
HODA’S NEXT ACT
The beloved host has been in talks with NBC about her departure for “about a year” the source said.
The insider said that she will be staying within the NBC family and will be changing gears to special correspondent work and interviewing celebrities in long-format segments.
Hoda plans to continue recording her podcast, Making Space, and the accomplished children’s author will also continue authoring books.
Hoda Kotb was engaged to Joel Schiffman – they ended their engagement in 2022 after eight years of dating[/caption]
Hoda Kotb was previously married to tennis coach Burzis Kanga from 2004 to 2008[/caption]
Jenna Bush Hager has tried to set up Hoda Kotb on dates in the past year[/caption]
