HEALTHHoda Kotb Reveals Emotional Reason Behind Her Departure From 'Today' Show
Hoda Kotb revealed that she left the 'Today' show partly due to caring for daughter Hope, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
June 2 2025, Published 9:20 a.m. ET
Hoda Kotb bid farewell to Today at the start of the new year, and she recently shared that her daughter Hope Kotb's health played a significant role in her decision to step back from the morning show.
In an article published by a news outlet on May 28, Hoda, 60, revealed that Hope, 6, has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
The autoimmune disease "affects the insulin making cells of the pancreas," according to the Mayo Clinic. Managing this condition requires constant blood sugar monitoring and regular insulin injections.
Hoda Kotb revealed Hope’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis in May.
"It's kind of constant care for Hope. We're monitoring her 24/7," the mom-of-two explained.
Hoda further elaborated on her daughter's medical needs, such as keeping away from sweets and requiring to "take care of her at night" if she's awake.
"She was getting shots — four or five a day — every day for a year. Now she is getting them less frequently because we have some other means to get her what she needs, but there's a lot to it. Some kids can have sweets and she can't. If she's up in the night, we have to take care of her at night. She is a happy, healthy, rambunctious [and an] amazing kid, and we have to watch her. Diabetes is a part of her, but not all of her. I hope it shapes her but never defines her," Hoda said.
Hoda Kotb watched daughter Hope with ‘constant care’ and 24/7 ‘monitoring.’
Hoda emphasized the importance of her presence in Hope's life, saying, "I really wanted to and needed to be here to watch over her. So, whenever she needs anything, and it can happen at night, multiple times, I'm up — I'm up up up. But I would never, ever want Hope to one day grow up and say, 'Oh, my mom left her job because [of me].' It wasn't that alone. But if you look at it cumulatively, it was a part of that decision."
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- Hoda Kotb Admits There Was a 'Scary Stretch' of Time After Daughter Hope Was in the ICU Due To Mystery Health Issue: 'There's Nothing You Can Do'
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Hoda Kotb had a 16-year stint on ‘Today’ before leaving the show in January.
Since stepping away from her hosting role on Today after 16 years, Hoda has cherished her time spent at home with both Hope and her eldest daughter, Haley, 8.
"I sleep in the middle so there's no rolling over — and it is not my favorite sleeping position," Hoda gushed. "But when I wake up and they're both nuzzled into me, I'm thinking to myself like, 'Oh my gosh, look at me! I get to lay here with these two kids, and all they want to do is be as close to me as they can get.'"
The former ‘Today’ co-anchor said she was making the 'right decision' ahead of her exit.
Hoda first announced her departure from Today on September 26, 2024, catching fans off guard. "As I write this, my heart is all over the map," she expressed in a letter during a live broadcast to her coworkers. "I know I'm making the right decision, but it's a painful one. And you all are the reason why. They say two things can be right at the same time, and I'm feeling that so deeply right now. I love you and it's time for me to leave the show."
Her final day on Today came on January 10. Though it was an emotional goodbye, the moment celebrated her impactful journey.
"Can I just say thank you?" she said, holding back tears. "I haven't been able to articulate it, because I'm a mess most times, but I just want to say thanks."
