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

On September 26, Hoda Kotb, revealed that she is leaving the “Today” show to prioritize her family.

Kotb, who recently relocated to a suburban home with her daughters Haley and Hope, penned a letter to NBC staff announcing her departure.

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

In her letter to the NBC staff, Kotb said, “As I write this, my heart is all over the map. 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.”

The news anchor added, “My broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie. I will miss you all desperately, but I’m ready and excited.”

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

“Will I miss her day to day? Sure. But I’m just so thrilled for her that I can’t possibly feel any sadness,” he said. “Here’s the thing. I would feel much worse if she was leaving, but she’s just doing something else within our NBC News family.”

Roker added that he understands Kotb’s wish to dedicate more time to her family.

“Look, I’m very fortunate in that I’ve watched my kids grow up, especially when [my daughter] Courtney was younger. I was in local news, so I was home in the morning with my kids, but [Kotb’s] got two young daughters. Those moments, those kids grow up,” he told the outlet. “I mean, it’s cliché, but because it’s true. It’s like you blink.”

He added, “So I understand exactly why she did it.”

When asked who should succeed Kotb on “Today,” Roker admitted that he had “no idea.”

“But the great thing is the Today show is greater than the sum of its parts. And it’s always been,” the 70-year-old said. “From Dave Garroway in 1952 to Jane Pauley and Tom Brokaw, Bryant and Jane, Matt, Katie. You just go through the list of people and the show is the show, and we’re all passing through.”

Roker added, “Some of us are here a little longer than others, but so whoever they pick, it’s going to be good.”

Kotb was the inaugural host of “Today”‘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.

According to an insider who spoke to Daily Mail, “the replacement will be from people who are already there rather than paying an outsider tons of money to sit with Savannah.”

“NBC is looking to place one of them in Hoda’s position, whomever the audience gravitates to more will be the most likely replacement,” the insider added. “The anchors would all love the opportunity to take Hoda’s spot, Sheinelle Jones would be interested, but honestly everyone is championing for Laura or Craig.”

During her appearance on the morning show on Thursday, Hoda Kotb revealed that turning 60 in August of last year made her reevaluate her role and inspired her to make the change.

“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new,” she said as tears filled her eyes. “I remembered standing outside looking at these beautiful bunch of people with these gorgeous signs, and I thought, ‘This is what the top of the wave feels like for me.’ And I thought it can’t get better, and I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on.”

“I’ve been practicing so I wouldn’t cry, but anyway, I did,” Kotb added as she got extremely emotional.