When a face becomes part of your morning routine, its absence feels like a jarring pause in your day. For millions of viewers, Hoda Kotb’s exit from NBC’s TODAY show is just that — a rupture in the rhythm of mornings, a tear in the fabric of a trusted friendship. Her departure isn’t just a cast change; it’s the end of an era.

Hoda’s announcement came on September 26, 2024, delivered in her quietly powerful voice: “I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new.” Oprah Daily+3NBC+3cbsnews.com+3 For over 17 years, she has been a constant presence on TODAY — first in the show’s fourth hour, then as co-anchor beside Savannah Guthrie. Wikipedia+4NBC+4People.com+4

Her final broadcast arrived on January 10, 2025 — a day heavy with nostalgia, tributes, and emotion. People.com+2People.com+2 Colleagues, past co-hosts, and viewers alike shared their love and gratitude as she signed off. “I’m not even able to articulate it because I’m a mess most of the times,” she said, thanking her team, the viewers, and calling out co-hosts by name. People.com+2NBC+2

📺 Why It Matters: A Morning Icon Steps Away

Over nearly two decades as a fixture of morning television, Hoda built her brand on empathy, authenticity, and a fierce sense of loyalty — to family, to colleagues, and to viewers. She often balanced moments of hard news with warmth, offering solace and sincerity when headlines turned cold. Her departure leaves behind both a void and the weight of legacy.

One driving factor in her decision: her family. Hoda has been vocal about wanting more time with her daughters. Oprah Daily+2cbsnews.com+2 In particular, her younger daughter, Hope, is managing Type 1 diabetes, and Hoda has admitted that the around-the-clock demands made it difficult to maintain the early-morning grind. Oprah Daily While family alone didn’t push her off the air, she acknowledged that logistics, age, and priorities all aligned to make this the right time. Oprah Daily+2NBC+2

🔄 What’s Next for TODAY — And Hoda

With Hoda’s departure, NBC needed a new anchor dynamic. Craig Melvin was named as her successor alongside Savannah Guthrie. NBC+4NBC+4People.com+4 Meanwhile, the longtime fourth-hour slot transitions into TODAY with Jenna & Friends, with Jenna Bush Hager leading and rotating co-hosts until a permanent replacement is found. NBC+2Wikipedia+2

Hoda, however, isn’t vanishing from NBC altogether. She plans to stay with the network in a different capacity — one yet to be fully revealed. NBC+2Oprah Daily+2 She also has a wellness platform, Joy 101, in development, along with new projects aimed more toward creating balance than broadcasting at 3 a.m. Oprah Daily

❤️ The Lasting Impact

The end of Hoda Kotb’s TODAY chapter is bittersweet. She steps away from the anchor desk physically, but her voice, her outlook, and her spirit will linger in the show’s DNA. TODAY will go on — but mornings will feel different. The laughter, the tears, the daily rituals she helped shape can’t be replaced overnight.

To longtime viewers, Hoda’s goodbye was more than a TV transition — it was a reminder that in every career, every love story, every life, there comes a time to turn the page. She may walk off the set, but she leaves behind a legacy woven into breakfast rooms, coffee mugs, and the hearts of those who grew up with her voice.

Because in morning TV, few gifts matter as much as connection. And in that gift, Hoda Kotb will always be home.