Hoda Kotb on ‘Today’ on December 19, 2023.Photo:Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty ImagesHoda Kotbis revealing the reason behind her absence fromToday with Hoda & Jennaon Wednesday.Despite appearing on the first two hours ofTodaywithSavannah GuthrieandCraig Melvin, Kotb, 59, missed out on the fourth hour of the morning show’s March 27 episode, when she typically co-hostsToday with Hoda & JennawithJenna Bush Hager.Upon her return on Thursday, Bush Hager, 42, expressed, “I miss you when you’re gone, do you know that?”“A good friend of ours, who we both love dearly Laura — who does our hair — her mom passed,” Kotb explained. “And Laura’s one of the good eggs, she’s kind of mothering to everybody.”“She sure is. Very maternal. We love you, Laura,” Bush Hager agreed.TheHope Is a Rainbowauthor echoed the sentiment, adding, “We love you and your family.”Hoda Kotb (left) and Jenna Bush Hager host ‘Today with Hoda & Jenna’.Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty ImagesSunday TodayhostWillie Geiststepped in for Kotb, co-hosting alongside Bush Hager on Wednesday’s episode ofTodaywith Hoda & Jenna. They did not address Kotb’s absence during the broadcast.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Kotb — who is a mother todaughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 4— was also absent from theTodayshow last week to go on a spring break trip with her kids and sister Hala. OnInstagram, sheshared a carouselof vacation clips and photos from their beach holiday.“Beautiful days … magical nights ❤️❤️❤️,” she captioned the slideshow.Hoda Kotb (center) and her daughters Hope (left) and Haley.Hoda Kotb/InstagramIt’s been a year since Kotb last took extended time off from theTodayshow, leaving for two weeks in February 2023 to look after her daughter Hopefollowing a hospitalization.Opening up to PEOPLEearlier this month about Hope’s illness, she described “a scary stretch” in her daughter’s condition.“Any parent who’s been through a scary thing with their child understands. It’s like you just can’t believe that your child’s sick. You can’t believe that there’s nothing you can do,” she said. “You can’t believe that no matter what you do, you can’t will it away or protect her, or all the things that we’re supposed to be doing as parents. And it’s a position I’ve never found myself in.”
Hoda Kotb on ‘Today’ on December 19, 2023.Photo:Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Hoda Kotbis revealing the reason behind her absence fromToday with Hoda & Jennaon Wednesday.Despite appearing on the first two hours ofTodaywithSavannah GuthrieandCraig Melvin, Kotb, 59, missed out on the fourth hour of the morning show’s March 27 episode, when she typically co-hostsToday with Hoda & JennawithJenna Bush Hager.Upon her return on Thursday, Bush Hager, 42, expressed, “I miss you when you’re gone, do you know that?”“A good friend of ours, who we both love dearly Laura — who does our hair — her mom passed,” Kotb explained. “And Laura’s one of the good eggs, she’s kind of mothering to everybody.”“She sure is. Very maternal. We love you, Laura,” Bush Hager agreed.TheHope Is a Rainbowauthor echoed the sentiment, adding, “We love you and your family.”Hoda Kotb (left) and Jenna Bush Hager host ‘Today with Hoda & Jenna’.Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty ImagesSunday TodayhostWillie Geiststepped in for Kotb, co-hosting alongside Bush Hager on Wednesday’s episode ofTodaywith Hoda & Jenna. They did not address Kotb’s absence during the broadcast.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Kotb — who is a mother todaughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 4— was also absent from theTodayshow last week to go on a spring break trip with her kids and sister Hala. OnInstagram, sheshared a carouselof vacation clips and photos from their beach holiday.“Beautiful days … magical nights ❤️❤️❤️,” she captioned the slideshow.Hoda Kotb (center) and her daughters Hope (left) and Haley.Hoda Kotb/InstagramIt’s been a year since Kotb last took extended time off from theTodayshow, leaving for two weeks in February 2023 to look after her daughter Hopefollowing a hospitalization.Opening up to PEOPLEearlier this month about Hope’s illness, she described “a scary stretch” in her daughter’s condition.“Any parent who’s been through a scary thing with their child understands. It’s like you just can’t believe that your child’s sick. You can’t believe that there’s nothing you can do,” she said. “You can’t believe that no matter what you do, you can’t will it away or protect her, or all the things that we’re supposed to be doing as parents. And it’s a position I’ve never found myself in.”
Hoda Kotbis revealing the reason behind her absence fromToday with Hoda & Jennaon Wednesday.
Despite appearing on the first two hours ofTodaywithSavannah GuthrieandCraig Melvin, Kotb, 59, missed out on the fourth hour of the morning show’s March 27 episode, when she typically co-hostsToday with Hoda & JennawithJenna Bush Hager.
Upon her return on Thursday, Bush Hager, 42, expressed, “I miss you when you’re gone, do you know that?”
“A good friend of ours, who we both love dearly Laura — who does our hair — her mom passed,” Kotb explained. “And Laura’s one of the good eggs, she’s kind of mothering to everybody.”
“She sure is. Very maternal. We love you, Laura,” Bush Hager agreed.
TheHope Is a Rainbowauthor echoed the sentiment, adding, “We love you and your family.”
Hoda Kotb (left) and Jenna Bush Hager host ‘Today with Hoda & Jenna’.Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Sunday TodayhostWillie Geiststepped in for Kotb, co-hosting alongside Bush Hager on Wednesday’s episode ofTodaywith Hoda & Jenna. They did not address Kotb’s absence during the broadcast.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Kotb — who is a mother todaughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 4— was also absent from theTodayshow last week to go on a spring break trip with her kids and sister Hala. OnInstagram, sheshared a carouselof vacation clips and photos from their beach holiday.
“Beautiful days … magical nights ❤️❤️❤️,” she captioned the slideshow.
Hoda Kotb (center) and her daughters Hope (left) and Haley.Hoda Kotb/Instagram
Hoda Kotb/Instagram
It’s been a year since Kotb last took extended time off from theTodayshow, leaving for two weeks in February 2023 to look after her daughter Hopefollowing a hospitalization.
Opening up to PEOPLEearlier this month about Hope’s illness, she described “a scary stretch” in her daughter’s condition.
“Any parent who’s been through a scary thing with their child understands. It’s like you just can’t believe that your child’s sick. You can’t believe that there’s nothing you can do,” she said. “You can’t believe that no matter what you do, you can’t will it away or protect her, or all the things that we’re supposed to be doing as parents. And it’s a position I’ve never found myself in.”
source: people.com
