Al Roker Is ‘Thrilled’ For Hoda Kotb’s ‘Today’ Show Exit

On September 26, Hoda Kotb, revealed that she is leaving the “At this time” present to prioritize her household.

Kotb, who just lately relocated to a suburban residence along with her daughters Haley and Hope, penned a letter to NBC workers saying her departure.

Following the announcement, Hoda Kotb’s co-anchor Al Roker spoke out, calling her exit bittersweet.

In her letter to the NBC workers, Kotb mentioned, “As I write this, my coronary heart is everywhere in the map. I do know I’m making the best resolution, but it surely’s a painful one. And also you all are the rationale why. They are saying two issues could be proper on the similar time, and I’m feeling that so deeply proper now. I like you and it’s time for me to go away the present.”

The information anchor added, “My broadcast profession has been past significant, a brand new decade of my life lies forward, and now my daughters and my mother want and deserve a much bigger slice of my time pie. I’ll miss you all desperately, however I’m prepared and excited.”

Whereas speaking to People Magazine,70-year-old Al Roker spoke out about his co-anchor’s departure.

“Will I miss her each day? Certain. However I am simply so thrilled for her that I am unable to presumably really feel any disappointment,” he mentioned. “This is the factor. I’d really feel a lot worse if she was leaving, however she’s simply doing one thing else inside our NBC Information household.”

Roker added that he understands Kotb’s want to dedicate extra time to her household.

“Look, I am very lucky in that I’ve watched my children develop up, particularly when [my daughter] Courtney was youthful. I used to be in native information, so I used to be residence within the morning with my children, however [Kotb’s] received two younger daughters. These moments, these children develop up,” he instructed the outlet. “I imply, it is cliché, however as a result of it is true. It is such as you blink.”

He added, “So I perceive precisely why she did it.”

When requested who ought to succeed Kotb on “At this time,” Roker admitted that he had “no concept.”

“However the great point is the At this time present is bigger than the sum of its elements. And it is at all times been,” the 70-year-old mentioned. “From Dave Garroway in 1952 to Jane Pauley and Tom Brokaw, Bryant and Jane, Matt, Katie. You simply undergo the checklist of individuals and the present is the present, and we’re all passing via.”

Roker added, “A few of us are right here a little bit longer than others, however so whoever they decide, it will be good.”

Kotb was the inaugural host of “At this time”‘s fourth-hour broadcast at 10 a.m., which launched in September 2007, and co-host Kathie Lee Gifford later joined her in April 2008. Jenna Bush Hager stepped in as Kotb’s co-host in August 2019 after Gifford’s exit.

In response to an insider who spoke to Daily Mail, “the substitute can be from people who find themselves already there moderately than paying an outsider tons of cash to take a seat with Savannah.”

“NBC is trying to place considered one of them in Hoda’s place, whomever the viewers gravitates to extra would be the more than likely substitute,” the insider added. “The anchors would all love the chance to take Hoda’s spot, Sheinelle Jones would have an interest, however actually everyone seems to be championing for Laura or Craig.”

Throughout her look on the morning present on Thursday, Hoda Kotb revealed that turning 60 in August of final yr made her reevaluate her function and impressed her to make the change.

“I noticed that it was time for me to show the web page at 60, and to attempt one thing new,” she mentioned as tears crammed her eyes. “I remembered standing outdoors taking a look at these lovely bunch of individuals with these attractive indicators, and I assumed, ‘That is what the highest of the wave looks like for me.’ And I assumed it will probably’t get higher, and I made a decision that that is the best time for me to form of transfer on.”

“I have been practising so I would not cry, however anyway, I did,” Kotb added as she received extraordinarily emotional.