Hoda Kotb

Hoda Kotb ( ; born August 9, 1964) is an American broadcast journalist , television personality, and author. She was the main co-anchor of the NBC News morning show Today from 2018 to 2025, and co-host of its entertainment-focused fourth hour from 2007 to 2025. Kotb also formerly served as a correspondent for the television news magazine program Dateline NBC.

Early life Kotb was born to Egyptian Muslim parents in Norman, Oklahoma, and Alexandria, Virginia. She lived in New Orleans throughout the 1990s. Kotb and her family lived in Egypt for a year, as well as in Nigeria. She has a brother, Adel, and a sister, Hala. Her mother, Sameha ("Sami"), worked at the Library of Congress. Her father, Abdel Kader Kotb (1932–1985) was a fossil energy specialist and was listed in the Who's Who of Technology.

During a 92nd Street Y interview, Kotb hinted at her Muslim roots when she recounted her memories of annual summer vacations in Egypt.

She graduated from Fort Hunt High School in 1982. She was elected homecoming queen and selected to speak at her graduating class's baccalaureate service. In her college years at Virginia Tech, Kotb was a member of Delta Delta Delta women's sorority, Beta Nu Chapter. In 1986, Kotb graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism. and in her speech, played Metallica's "Enter Sandman" over her iPod. In 2010, Kotb was elected to a three-year term to the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Career Hoda Kotb, Monica Groves and Shayla Harris accepting the award for "Dateline NBC: The Education of Ms. Groves" at the 66th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Kotb's first on-air job after college was at then-CBS affiliate WXVT in Greenville, Mississippi. Kotb then moved to ABC affiliate WQAD in Moline, Illinois as a reporter from 1988 to 1989. She became a weekend anchor and reporter at CBS affiliate WINK in Fort Myers, Florida from 1989 to 1991. From 1992 to 1998, Kotb was an anchor and reporter for CBS affiliate WWL in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NBC News Kotb officially joined NBC News in April 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline NBC and all NBC News platforms. Gifford was later succeeded by Jenna Bush Hager in April 2019, following Gifford's departure from the show.

On February 23, 2015, Kotb began hosting a live, one-hour show twice a week on SiriusXM's Today channel, discussing casual water cooler topics.

On January 2, 2018, Kotb was named co-anchor of Today with Savannah Guthrie after anchor Matt Lauer was terminated by NBC News following accusations of sexual misconduct. She and Guthrie had been interim co-anchors since Lauer's termination on November 29, 2017. They make up the first female anchor duo to lead the show.

On September 26, 2024, Kotb announced that she would be stepping down from Today in early 2025; she indicated she would continue with NBC in an unspecified role. Her last day was January 10, 2025.

Kotb temporarily returned to Today between February and March 2026 to fill in for Guthrie during her absence in the investigation of the disappearance of her mother.

Books In October 2010, Kotb released a New York Times bestselling autobiography, Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee.

On January 15, 2013, she released her second book, Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives, in which she chronicles six stories by identifying a life-changing event in each subject's life and then revisiting each of those six people a decade later.

In 2016, Kotb released her third book, Where They Belong: The Best Decisions People Almost Never Made, which features a selection of various stories of inspiring people who "found themselves" in completely unexpected moments or unforeseen circumstances.

In October 2019, Kotb released her sixth book, I Really Needed This Today, which includes personal notes about her experiences and relationships, an assortment of quotes, and 365 sayings that she hopes inspires and uplifts readers. She released a follow-up in October 2020 titled This Just Speaks to Me, which expands on her daily reflections and includes additional personal anecdotes and quotes.

Kotb has also released her own children's books. The first one, her fourth book overall, I've Loved You Since Forever, was released in 2018, and was adapted into a lullaby by Kelly Clarkson. Her second children's book, her fifth book overall, You Are My Happy, which celebrates the things in life that bring gratitude, was released in March 2019.

Awards In 2002, Kotb was awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award for her reporting.

In 2006, Kotb was awarded a Peabody Award for Dateline NBC "The Education of Ms. Groves", which earned her an additional Headliner Award in 2007, as well as the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award in 2008.

In 2010, 2011, and 2012, during which Kotb was a part of the Today morning host lineup, Today won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Morning Program. which she created in collaboration with Sara Bareilles and Cyndi Lauper to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. That same year, she received an additional Gracie Award for Outstanding Host in News/Non-fiction in 2015.

In 2019, Kotb and Gifford were awarded a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host during their time as co-hosts.

Kotb was awarded the Matrix Award in October 2021.

Personal life In 2005, Kotb married University of New Orleans tennis coach Burzis Kanga. The marriage ended in divorce in 2008.

Kotb began a relationship with New York financier Joel Schiffman in 2013. On February 21, 2017, Kotb announced on Today that she had adopted a baby girl named Haley Joy Kotb. On April 16, 2019, Kotb came on Today via phone to announce she had adopted a second baby girl named Hope Catherine Kotb. On November 25, 2019, Kotb announced live on Today that she was engaged to Schiffman. On January 31, 2022, Kotb announced during the fourth hour of Today (Hoda & Jenna) that she and Schiffman had ended their engagement and would focus on co-parenting as friends.

In March 2007, Kotb underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer and has since become an advocate for breast cancer awareness. Kotb allowed Today cameras to follow her throughout her cancer battle. She was declared cancer-free and continued to document and use the story on the show to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Career timeline

1986: CBS News – news assistant Cairo, Egypt 1986–1989: Morning anchor and general assignment reporter WQAD-TV, ABC Moline, Illinois; and anchor WXVT-TV, CBS Greenville and Greenwood, Mississippi 1989–1991: Weekend anchor and reporter WINK-TV, CBS Fort Myers, Florida 1992–1998: Anchor and reporter WWL-TV, CBS New Orleans, Louisiana 1998–present: NBC News 1998–present: NBC News national correspondent 1998–2008: Dateline NBC contributing anchor and correspondent 2004–2008: Host of the weekly syndicated series Your Total Health 2007–2025: Today 4th hour co-host with Kathie Lee Gifford from April 2008 – April 2019 with Jenna Bush Hager from April 2019 – January 2025 2007–2017: Today substitute co-anchor 2017: Today featured co-anchor 2018–2025: Today co-anchor with Savannah Guthrie 2018–present: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade host 2021–present: Host, Making Space with Hoda Kotb (NBC News / Today-affiliated podcast) 2026–present: Today substitute co-anchor

Other appearances 2009: Lipstick Jungle as herself (1 episode) 2010: 30 Rock as herself (1 episode) 2014: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as herself (2 episodes) 2014–2017: Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce as herself (4 episodes) 2015: Lip Sync Battle as herself (1 episode) 2015: Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! as herself (movie) 2015: Donny! as herself (2 episodes) 2016: Younger as herself (1 episode) 2016: Brothers Take New Orleans Celebrity judge 2017: Nashville as herself (1 episode) 2017: Sharknado 5: Global Swarming as herself (movie) 2018: Mickey and the Roadster Racers as Miss Sweetums 2020: The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo as herself/guest 2021: Valerie's Home Cooking as herself (1 episode) 2022: Marry Me as herself (cameo) 2022: Girls5eva as herself (1 episode) 2024: Curb Your Enthusiasm as herself (1 episode)

Other work 2025–present: Creator of Joy 101, a motivational initiative focused on gratitude, resilience, and everyday well-being, delivered through storytelling, speaking, and personal development content.