Dates, ad deals and health scare – the reasons Hoda Kotb decided to bring down the curtain on Today job after 17 years

HODA Kotb had a long list of reasons to end her 17-year run on morning TV, according to a source.

The insider told The U.S. Sun that Hoda ‘s crushing morning show schedule had become problematic for her work-life balance, and the “life” part of the equation ultimately weighed heavily on her decision to leave Today .

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Instagram/Hoda Kotb

The mother of two found she couldn’t dedicate enough time to her two kids, Hope, 5, and Haley, 7 .

“You want to be there for your kids, and she’s just completely wiped by the time it gets around to after school,” an insider explained.

“She loves these girls so much, and then when Hope was sick and hospitalized, everything changed for her with her views on work.”

Hoda’s daughter, Hope was hospitalized in February 2023 after a “scary” incident, though the star kept her child’s medical diagnosis private.

“I think people don’t realize to be on morning TV, its like being an athlete, your whole life is about that,” the insider continued.

“Getting up at three o’clock every morning, and then you go to bed at eight o’clock, which was fine when her kids were three or four years old, but now that her kids have grown up a bit, they don’t want to go to bed at eight o’clock. The kids are up later than Hoda.

“Morning TV is a young person’s game, since it has grueling hours, and it just gets harder as you get older.

“Hoda’s 60th birthday was a wake-up call for her.”

READY FOR LOVE

The insider said that on top of her wanting to be there for her daughters, the daytime TV host, who was spotted with a mystery man in March, very much wants to be able to go on dates.

“She wants to have a boyfriend, she wants to have that life and she wants to date,” they added.

The insider also said that Hoda was unable to do brand endorsements or advertisements because she was under strict NBC rules .

That now will change, the source said.

“Hoda can become the face of L’Oreal. She could potentially make more money now that she’s off the show.”

Meanwhile, on another family front, the source noted Hoda’s relationship with her mother, Sameha, was also a focal point of her decision to leave Today.

HODA'S NBC LEGACY

Hoda's illustrious career at NBC spanned 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.

“She loves her mom and she’s getting up there in age and isn’t in the greatest of health, so she would like more time with her.”

TERRIBLE COMMUTE

In one more reason to step away from the morning show, Hoda’s commute was much worse after she moved from New York City to the suburbs in Westchester.

“Her moving was the beginning of the end, she’s commuting in and out every morning at four o’clock.”

And now that she’s seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with her schedule, and having more space in the suburbs with her daughters.

The insider added that she also plans to get a dog.

HODA’S NEXT ACT

Hoda has been in talks with NBC execs about her departure for “about a year,” the insider said.

They noted that she isn’t leaving NBC, and will change gears to doing special correspondent work and interviewing celebrities in long-format segments.

She will also continue recording her podcast, Making Space , and the accomplished children’s author will also write more books.

BITTERSWEET END

Hoda announced her departure from Today on Thursday morning.

She fought back tears as she told her co-hosts, “I just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 years old…What does that decade mean? And I realize it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new.”

The beloved host explained that celebrating her 60th birthday with her children was the “top of the wave” for her.

She thought, “It can’t get any better,” and knew it was time to move on.

Hoda also noted that since she became a mom later in life, they “deserve a bigger piece of my time pie.”

She said leaving Today was “the hardest thing in the world,” and promised she would “stay in the NBC family,” but revealed she would be departing the morning show in early 2025.

Wise Owl - Commissioned by The US Sun Digital edition

Instagram / Hoda Kotb

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