Why did Hoda Kotb decide to leave Today? Reason revealed

Hoda Kotb announced her departure from Today after 26 years.

Recently, news anchor Hoda Kotb parted ways with Today after being an integral part of it for 26 years. The shocking announcement was made on Thursday, September 26 when she revealed that the beginning of the new year would mark the end of her time at the NBC news program. The reason behind this sudden exit is reportedly being credited to Kotb being asked to take a pay cut on her $20 million salary, as reported by an Insider to OK! Magazine.

Hoda Kotb announced her departure from Today after 26 years. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via AP) (AP)

Reason behind Hoda Kotb’s exit

An insider quoted to the media outlet, “This is the age of the great resetting of TV news contracts. Everyone is getting their pay cut, or their jobs eliminated,” on Friday, September 27. Kotb’s exit from the show astonished the world as the morning show anchor explained alongside her colleagues in the live broadcast, “I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new.”

She continued, “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."

Kotb also expressed her desire to spend more time with her two daughters, Haley and Hope whom she shares with her ex-husband, Joel Schiffman. She said, “Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have. I feel like we only have a finite amount of time. And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”

Kotb’s colleagues get emotional

Kotb shared the morning show for the past five years with the co-host, Savannah Gutherie and the fourth hour of the show with Jenna Bush-Hagger. While her co-workers were supportive of Kotb’s decision the announcement “shocked” them nonetheless. An insider claimed to the media outlet, “There weren’t many people who knew she was considering it. But she has been thinking about this and contemplating it for a really long time."
Guthrie sentimentally added, “We love you so much, and when you look around and you see these tears, they’re love. You are so loved, and honestly ... we don’t want to imagine this place without you,” following the morning show anchor’s announcement.