Hoda Kotb Returns to ‘Today,’ Explains Absence Due to Daughter’s Hospitalization

Hoda Kotb returned to Today on Monday, March 6, and addressed her extended absence during the broadcast, explaining that it had to do with a health issue involving her three-year-old daughter.

Appearing alongside co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who herself was absent for a few days due to a COVID diagnosis, supported Kotb as she got personal on air, as seen in the clip above.

(Credit: NBC)

“My youngest Hope was in the ICU for a few days, in the hospital for a little more than a week,” Kotb stated at the beginning of the morning broadcast. “I am so grateful she is home. She is back home. I was waiting for that day to come, and we are watching her closely. I am just so happy.”

It’s been nearly a month since Kotb’s last live appearance on February 17. She also appeared in Today‘s fourth hour alongside Jenna Bush Hager on February 20, but that segment was pre-recorded to air on Presidents Day. Last week, Kotb’s colleague Craig Melvin offered some information to viewers regarding her absence, only specifying that it had to do with a family health issue.

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While Kotb didn’t elaborate on her daughter’s illness, she turned to Guthrie and said, “You know what I realized too, Savannah, is when your child is ill, the amount of gratitude that you have for the people who helped you out. So I am grateful for the doctors at Weill Cornell who were amazing and the nurses and I’m grateful to my family and to friends like you who were there every single day. So I want to thank you for that. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Guthrie responded. “You have a lot of friends out there.”

Today, Weekdays, 7am/6c, NBC