Hoda Kotb is taking another brief hiatus from the Today Show during the week of March 20. However, this time, her absence was pre-planned, as she is spending time with her two daughters, Haley, 6, and Hope, 3, on a spring break vacation. Both Hoda and Jenna Bush Hager are vacationing this week, with pre-recorded episodes of Hoda & Jenna airing during the third hour of the Today Show.
This time off for Hoda comes following an unexpected absence earlier this month after Hope spent time in the hospital. Hoda was missing from the morning show during the last week of February with no explanation, and viewers began wondering where she was. Her reason for being M.I.A. wasn’t explained until March 1, a week and a half after she last appeared in a live segment of the show on Feb. 17. At the time, Hoda’s co-hosts simply shared that she was dealing with a “family health matter“.
Hoda returned to the show on March 6 and gave more specific details about why she was absent. “My youngest [daughter] Hope was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week,” Hoda explained. “I’m grateful she’s home. She is back home. I was waiting for that day to come. We are watching her closely. I’m just so happy.”
During the Hoda & Jenna segment on March 6, she added that it was “really scary” going through the health scare with Hope, although she did not specify what happened. “She’s vibrant and brilliant,” Hoda gushed about her daughter. “I’m over the moon that she’s home and I can’t believe how amazing people are.”
Following Hope’s hospitalization, Hoda has been dealing with having to also provide comfort to her oldest daughter, Haley, as well. “All the attention’s on Hope and Haley wonders, too. Like, ‘I’m here, see me. I need something, too. Do what you’re doing for Hope.'” Hoda shared during a recent Today Show episode. “How do you do it? How do you make everyone feel seen? It’s weird but I feel like I got most of my resilience in life because of that. You didn’t expect to always be seen and heard.”