https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/business/media/hoda-kotb-today-show.html

Kotb announced this morning she will step down as co-anchor of Today and as co-host of Today with Hoda & Jenna early next year.

I think the only reason why Hoda Kotb is leaving Today is because NBC offered her a pay raise and a more expensive contract and when she found out about what NBC was gonna do with her contract on Today she announced she had to leave as the only way out. When you look at the general picture Today has a history of introducing new hosts then they quit and when you look at it the only survivor of the Today hosts now is Savannah Guthrie. Because when you become a host of Today NBC gives you all these perks as part of your contract which also means cohosting Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades. I think when the 2025 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debuts Al Roker will finally get his wish granted and host the parade with Savannah Guthrie. I think what will be next for Hoda Kotb is to become a solo talk show host and land her own syndicated talk show. Because after all it worked for Katie Couric with the talk show Katie

Report: Hoda Kotb was facing a pay cut from her $20 million per year salary before announcing her Today exit (https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/did-hoda-kotb-leave-today-after-being-asked-to-cut-her-20m-salary/#:~:text=The%20outlet%20reported%20that%20a,cut%20or%20their%20jobs%20eliminated.%E2%80%9D)

The outlet reported that a source with direct knowledge of her salary said Kotb was making more than $20 million in her role, and NBC proposed a pay cut. “This is the age of the great resetting of TV news contracts,” a media executive told Puck. “Everyone is getting their pay cut or their jobs eliminated.”

Hoda Kotb explained her decision to leave Today: "When I turned 60, something weird happened, man" (https://toofab.com/2024/10/08/hoda-kotb-details-leave-today/)

"I turned 60, and we had this beautiful party at the Today show, and I looked out at the sea of all the people who came, and beautiful signs and so many well wishes and I knew in my heart like, 'This is it, man," Kotb told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. "This is what the mountaintop must feel like.' Like I'd never had that feeling before."

Craig Melvin is moving into the co-anchor seat alongside Savannah Guthrie for the 7 and 8 a.m. hours.

He will begin Monday, Jan. 13, following Hoda Kotb’s last day on Friday, Jan. 10.


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Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb burst into tears over Kotb's impending Today exit (https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/jenna-bush-hager-hoda-kotb-cry-over-depression-stage-of-hodas-exit/)

“What’s happening? Is this the depression stage?” Bush Hager quipped of their crying, prompting Kotb and the show’s off-camera crew to cackle, according to Us Weekly, referring to her stages of grief over Kotb’s departure on Jan. 10.

Scarlett Johansson to guest co-host NBC's Today with Jenna & Friends (https://people.com/jenna-bush-hager-announces-scarlett-johansson-as-today-guest-co-host-exclusive-8767474)

With Hoda Kotb departing this Friday, the fourth hour of the Today show will be retitled Today with Jenna & Friends starting next Monday with Jenna Bush Hager remaining as host. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the day after Inauguration Day, Johansson will join Hager, co-hosting for the rest of the week.

I heard it was about money but what does she need at this point in her life?

Scarlett Johannson- a movie star who becomes co-host of a news-ish show

Hoda Kotb to reunite with Jenna Bush Hager on Today's fourth hour (https://deadline.com/2025/05/hoda-kotb-today-return-visit-1236411715/)

Kotb will return to Today for the first time since leaving in January to guest co-host Wednesday's Today with Jenna & Friends. Kotb plans to share details of the new venture, which also will launch on Wednesday.

Sheinelle Jones is joining NBC’s Jenna & Friends as Jenna Bush Hager’s permanent co-host (https://variety.com/2025/tv%20news/sheinelle-jones-jenna-bush-hager-new-coanchor-today-nbc-1236603898/)

The Today veteran will begin her role as Hoda Kotb’s successor starting on Jan. 12 and may still appear on earlier hours of Today. “NBC is betting that Jones’ warmth and Bush Hager’s spirit will make for a formidable combination in TV’s never-ending battle for daytime audience,” says Variety’s Brian Steinberg. Jones shared on Today that the night before her big announcement she received a special phone call from Kotb herself (https://people.com/sheinelle-jones-reveals-hoda-kotb-called-her-before-today-4th-hour-role-news-11865152). “Last night obviously, as you guys can imagine, it was an emotional rollercoaster for me and my phone kept ‘zip, zip, zip, zip,’ and I’m like, ‘I can’t talk, Clara’s tapping or dancing,’ and it was Hoda,” Jones said, explaining that she was at her daughter’s dance recital. “And so I went out to the lobby, we had some time, and I said, ‘Hey,’ And she goes, ‘Don’t say anything just listen.’”