HODA Kotb’s last day on the Today Show after 17 years has kicked off with a tribute that left her sobbing.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house after the Today Show anchors presented Kotb with a surprise video montage of some of her best moments and a look behind the scenes at the morning show.
Hoda Kotb was left wiping her tears after a video tribute played on the Today Show on Friday morning[/caption]
Kotb grabbed co-anchor Savannah Guthrie’s hand as she told her co-anchor that she’s her ‘person’[/caption]
The Today Show surprised Kotb with a video message from Oprah Winfrey[/caption]
“That was not fair,” Kotb said while crying after the heartfelt video.
She went on to say she hasn’t been able to speak about how emotional she is about her exit from the show.
“I’ve not been able to articulate because I’m a mess most of the time,” Kotb confessed.
The TV icon went one by one and thanked her co-stars, starting by telling Carson Daly he was the “secret sauce” of the show.
She thanked Al Roker for being her “first friend here.”
Savannah Guthrie also joined her in tears as Kotb told her co-anchor, “You’re my person.”
Guthrie and Kotb have hosted Today together since 2017 and became the first all-female duo to host the show in 2018.
Kotb then said she would be asleep when Monday morning’s show airs, which led Roker to burst out laughing.
The special moment between the anchors was followed by surprise video messages from Jamie Lee Curtis and Oprah Winfrey.
Later in the show, stars like Simone Biles and Maria Shriver came on the show to surprise Kotb during the “Hoda-bration.”
Plus, Kotb’s two daughters joined her on the show as the hosts were also joined by Kermit the Frog, who performed the iconic Muppets song, The Rainbow Connection.
The group was also joined by Kotb’s brother, sister, and nieces.
Kotb broke into tears again as she thanked viewers for celebrating her last day with surprises, special messages, and friendship bracelets.
During the video tribute, Guthrie said Kotb has such incredible interviews because she easily connects with them due to her love for people.
Kotb thanked viewers for making her last day so memorable[/caption]
Kotb’s family also surprised her on the show[/caption]
“She’s the ultimate people person,” Guthrie said.
Craig Melvin agreed, saying that she doesn’t “do interviews – she has conversations.”
TODAY Show hosts
NBC’s Today show premiered in 1952 and has bidden viewers good morning every weekday since, adding Saturday and Sunday shows in the 1980s and 1990s. The show’s current host lineup includes:
Melvin said he’ll “never forget” her kindness and generosity when it was announced he’d be taking her spot on the Today Show.
Al Roker revealed his dressing room is right next to Kotb’s and that he’ll miss her each day.
He said while he was hospitalized during his health scare in 2022, Kotb visited him every day.
Roker said when Kotb surprised him with Christmas carolers that year, he was left in tears at her thoughtfulness.
“I cried that day,” he revealed.
Kotb announced in September she was leaving the show to spend more time with her family.
HODA’S NEXT MOVE
She’s already making plans for her next career move as she recently announced she’ll be focusing on wellness.
“So I kind of got hooked in the wellness space, like a couple years ago,” she revealed on the Kelly Clarkson Show.
“I started doing stuff that I thought seemed woo-woo and weird, and then all of a sudden, as I was doing it, I was like, ‘wait, I feel calmer, I feel better’. Woo-woo makes you feel good!”
“So I am starting a wellness app and company that will involve retreats and a podcast and all kinds of things that we can get together do things that I love.”
Kotb’s new project is set to launch in the spring.
Kotb, who is leaving the Today Show after 17 years[/caption]
