Hoda Kotb | |
|---|---|
هدى قطب | |
.jpg) Kotb in 2022 | |
| Born | (1964-08-09)August 9, 1964 (age 61) Norman, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Citizenship |
|
| Education | Virginia Tech (BA) |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Employer | NBC News |
| Known for | Co-anchor of theToday show (2018–2025) Co-anchor of thefourth hour of theToday show (2007–2025) Dateline NBC correspondent (1998–2008) NBC News national correspondent and contributing anchor (1998–present) |
| Spouse | |
| Partner | Joel Schiffman (2013–2022) |
| Children | 2 |
Hoda Kotb (/ˈhoʊdəˈkɒtbiː/HOH-dəKOT-bee;[1][note 1] born August 9, 1964)[2] is an American broadcast journalist, television personality, and author. She was the main co-anchor of theNBC Newsmorning showToday from 2018 to 2025, and co-host of itsentertainment-focusedfourth hour from 2007 to 2025. Kotb also formerly served as acorrespondent for the televisionnews magazine programDateline NBC.
Kotb was born to Egyptian Muslim parents inNorman, Oklahoma,[2] and grew up inMorgantown, West Virginia,[3][4] andAlexandria, Virginia. She lived inNew Orleans throughout the 1990s.[5] Kotb and her family lived in Egypt for a year, as well as inNigeria. She has a brother, Adel, and a sister, Hala. Her mother, Sameha ("Sami"), worked at theLibrary of Congress.[6][7][non-primary source needed] Her father, Abdel Kader Kotb (1932–1985) was afossil energy specialist and was listed in theWho's Who of Technology.[8][9]
During a92nd Street Y interview, Kotb hinted at herMuslim roots when she recounted her memories of annual summer vacations in Egypt.
She graduated fromFort Hunt High School in 1982. She was electedhomecoming queen[10] and selected to speak at her graduating class'sbaccalaureate service.[11] In her college years atVirginia Tech, Kotb was a member ofDelta Delta Delta women's sorority, Beta Nu Chapter.[12] In 1986, Kotb graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree inbroadcast journalism.[3] Kotb was the keynote speaker at her alma mater for the 2008 Virginia Tech graduation[13] and in her speech, playedMetallica's "Enter Sandman" over heriPod.[14] In 2010, Kotb was elected to a three-year term to the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors.[15]
Kotb's first on-air job after college was at then-CBS affiliateWXVT inGreenville, Mississippi.[16] Kotb then moved toABC affiliateWQAD inMoline, Illinois as a reporter from 1988 to 1989.[17] She became a weekend anchor and reporter at CBS affiliateWINK inFort Myers, Florida from 1989 to 1991.[18] From 1992 to 1998, Kotb was an anchor and reporter for CBS affiliateWWL inNew Orleans, Louisiana.[18]
In 2011,Martina McBride asked Kotb to be featured in her music video for "I'm Gonna Love You Through It," a ballad dedicated to cancer survivors.[19]
Kotb officially joinedNBC News in April 1998[20] as a correspondent forDateline NBC and all NBC News platforms.[18]
She was the first host ofToday's firstfourth-hour weekday morning broadcast at 10:00 a.m. in September 2007[20] and was joined byKathie Lee Gifford as a co-host in April 2008.[21] Gifford was later succeeded byJenna Bush Hager in April 2019, following Gifford's departure from the show.[22]
On February 23, 2015, Kotb began hosting a live, one-hour show twice a week onSirius XM'sToday channel, discussing casualwater cooler topics.[23]
On January 2, 2018, Kotb was named co-anchor ofToday withSavannah Guthrie after anchorMatt Lauer was terminated by NBC News following accusations of sexual misconduct.[24] She and Guthrie had been interim co-anchors since Lauer's termination on November 29, 2017.[24] They make up the first female anchor duo to lead the show.
On September 26, 2024, Kotb announced that she would be stepping down fromToday in early 2025; she indicated she would continue with NBC in an unspecified role.[25] Her last day was January 10, 2025.[26][27]
In October 2010, Kotb released aNew York Times bestselling[28] autobiography,Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee.[29]
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.[30]
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.[31]
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.[32] She released a follow-up in October 2020 titledThis Just Speaks to Me, which expands on her daily reflections and includes additional personal anecdotes and quotes.[33]
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 byKelly Clarkson.[34] 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.[35]
In 2002, Kotb was awarded theEdward R. Murrow Award for her reporting.[18]
Kotb received her firstGracie Awards in 2003 and 2008.[18]
Kotb was awarded a Headliner Award in 2004 forDateline NBC's "Saving Dane – Adoptees Rage".[36]
In 2006, Kotb was awarded aPeabody Award forDateline NBC's "The Education of Ms. Groves",[37] which earned her an additional Headliner Award in 2007,[38] as well as theAlfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award in 2008.[39][non-primary source needed]
In 2010, 2011, and 2012, during which Kotb was a part of theToday morning host lineup,Today won aDaytime Emmy Award forOutstanding Morning Program.[20]
In 2015, she won aWebby Award for Online Film & Video – Public Service & Activism for her music video, "Truly Brave",[18][40] which she created in collaboration withSara Bareilles andCyndi Lauper to raise awareness forpediatric cancer.[41] That same year, she received an additional Gracie Award for Outstanding Host in News/Non-fiction in 2015.[18]
In 2016, Kotb was awarded with a Gracie Award for Outstanding Host in Entertainment/Information for her SiriusXM show.[18]
Kotb was included inTime magazine's100 Most Influential People of 2018.[42]
In 2019, Kotb and Gifford were awarded a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host during their time as co-hosts.[43]
Kotb was awarded theMatrix Award in October 2021.[44]
In 2005, Kotb marriedUniversity of New Orleans tennis coach Burzis Kanga.[45] The marriage ended in divorce in 2008.[46]
Kotb began a relationship with New York financier Joel Schiffman in 2013.[47] On February 21, 2017, Kotb announced onToday that she had adopted a baby girl named Haley Joy Kotb.[48] On April 16, 2019, Kotb came onToday via phone to announce she had adopted a second baby girl named Hope Catherine Kotb.[49] On November 25, 2019, Kotb announced live onToday that she was engaged to Schiffman.[50] On January 31, 2022, Kotb announced during thefourth hour ofToday (Hoda & Jenna) that she and Schiffman had ended their engagement and would focus on co-parenting as friends.[51]
In March 2007, Kotb underwent amastectomy andreconstructive surgery for breast cancer and has since become an advocate for breast cancer awareness.[52] Kotb allowedToday cameras to follow her throughout her cancer battle.[53] She was declared cancer-free and continued to document and use the story on the show to raise awareness for breast cancer.[54]
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| Preceded by | Today Co-Anchor January 2, 2018 – January 10, 2025 Served alongside:Savannah Guthrie | Succeeded by |
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