Why Hoda Kotb and Ex-Fiancé Joel Schiffman Called Off Their Engagement Despite Both Being 'Great Human Beings'

Hoda Kotb seems at peace with her and Joel Schiffman 's decision to call off their engagement in January 2022.

During a recent guest appearance on The Jamie Kern Kima Show , the famed TODAY host, 60, revealed why she parted ways with her ex-fiancé roughly three years after the financier, 66, popped the question in 2019.

"Joel is one of the best people I know, and he really is a great human being," Kotb gushed of her former lover, whom she shares her two adopted daughters, Haley , 7, and Hope , 4, with. "And I feel like I’m a pretty great human being, but sometimes two great human beings together isn’t quite enough to make it work."

As for what led to their relationship's demise , Kotb admitted she and Schiffman were "growing in different paces" for quite some time, causing it to become "hard to be in sync" as a couple.

"I think a lot of people are probably in these situations," she declared. "One person’s growing…or one person wants it this way, and one person wants it that way."

Schiffman and Kotb's love story spanned across almost an entire decade.

The renowned television broadcaster confirmed her broken engagement while live on-air in January 2022, addressing fan speculation stemming from Kotb no longer wearing her engagement ring.

"Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and meaningful conversations over the holidays and we decided that we are better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple, so we decided we are going to start this new year on our new path as loving parents to our adorably delightful children and as friends," she expressed at the time.

"It's not like something happened," Kotb promised. "They say sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason , a season or a lifetime, this was for a season."

Initially nervous to break the news to viewers, the I Really Needed This Today: Words to Live By author mentioned: "A lot of women know what this feels like to be changing course in life. And I feel really brave in this moment which is a strange feeling to feel."

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"Sometimes in your life, you have to say the truth," Kotb advised.

Despite canceling plans to make Schiffman her husband, the exes remain cordial co-parents for their two little girls.

"The ultimate goal is when your girls are happy. That’s what we both say, ' Happy girls , that’s all we want,'" Kotb expressed during a 2022 interview with Us Weekly. "And that’s what we have. So they enjoy spending time with their dad and they enjoy spending time with me and everybody on my side. So it’s been really good [and] we have a nice mix."