The heartbreaking story behind Hoda Kotb leaving the Today Show

Today Show icon Hoda Kotb made the shocking decision to leave the program after years at the helm to focus on her children and personal life.

Hoda stunned viewers with the surprise announcement Thursday, explaining that turning 60 had been a 'monumental moment' that made her decide it was time to 'try something new,' insisting that she would still remain a part of the NBC family, as she has been for the past 26 years.

The TV legend said a key part of her decision was down to her young daughters, seven-year-old Haley and four-year-old Hope. 

Hoda took a leave of absence from the show in February 2023 when Hope battled an undisclosed illness that put her in the ICU. 

'I had my kiddos late in life and I think that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie, we only have an infinite amount of time,' she said told her co-hosts.  

She revealed her daughter's illness to co-anchor Savannah Guthrie saying: 'My youngest Hope was in the ICU for a few days and then the hospital for a little more than a week.

'I'm so grateful she is home, she is back home. I was waiting for that day to come. And we are watching her closely. I'm just so happy.'

Over a year later, Hoda told People she had to hire extra help to balance Hope's medical demands with her rigid work schedule.

Due to Hope's young age, Hoda has declined to publicly specify the nature of her long-term medical issues. 

In September the mom of two revealed she made the decision to move out of New York City and start afresh.

Hoda - who celebrated her 60th birthday in August - told her cohost, Jenna Bush Hager, that 'everything changed' over the summer because she moved out of her Manhattan apartment.

'I have a whole new town, and a whole new school and all the new things. And we went for our first day of school. I carried coffee and I had sneakers and I walked with my kids to school like normal people,' Hoda said.

'It was awesome! I just loved doing it because I just haven't been able to do that and it was so fun, like to walk my kids to school and I know it's a privilege because you've got to work but I just thought, "Sometimes chapters change and you miss things," and I was like, "I am going to do it."

'We've had seven great years in the city with kids and that's amazing, but I also think kids need to have their feet in the grass and in dirt. I love the city life and I wouldn't have traded any of those years.'

Hoda shares her two adopted daughters with her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.

She first started her relationship with Joel, now 66, in 2013 and in November 2019, she announced live on Today that they were engaged.

But on January 31, 2022, Hoda revealed on Today with Hoda & Jenna that she and Joel had decided to end their engagement and would focus on co-parenting as friends.

Hoda insisted there was no bad blood between them, saying they were 'better as friends and parents.'

In May, Hoda gushed on The Drew Barrymore show that she was set to go on a third date with a mystery new man.

Appearing on The Jamie Kern Lina Show in August, Hoda said she has no doubt that she's going to find her dream man after splitting with her fiancé.

Despite some hiccups in her love life, Hoda expressed that she's more than confident that she'll find her special person soon.

'When I close my eyes and I envision the romantic part of my life, I can see it very clearly,' she shared.

'Because for the first time in my life I am me. Someone is meeting me. Not the version that you might want, or not the version that I'll twist a little bit to fit your needs or what is appealing to you,' she continued.

Hoda stressed that she has no idea what her match looks like physically, nor does she particularly care.

'I don't see his face. It's not like I'm like, "I want XYZ." I don't even care about XYZ, tall, short, bald, not bald. I don't care. But I know the essence and I can sense the soul of that person.'

She added, 'I know the way that my life is, that is coming. So many things have taken so much time to show up in my life and I don't mind it one bit.