Today's Amazing Game Comes From Years Ago
Several Today show hosts have come and gone on NBC's morning show over the years – both good and bad.
Hoda Kotbon the other hand, his fans were surprised in September 2024 with the news that he would be leaving Today after nearly 30 years at NBC. “I just turned 60, and it was a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 because I started thinking about that decade, like, what does that decade mean? What does it hold? What will happen to me?” he announced through tears at the time. And I realized it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and try something new.”
Kotb recalled how celebrating his 60th birthday on last month's show helped him realize it was time to retire. Today. “I remembered standing outside, looking at this beautiful bunch of people with all these beautiful signs, and I thought, 'This is what the top of a wave feels like to me,' and I thought, 'It can't get any better,'” he explained. “And again [I] I decided that this is the right time to, move on.
Additionally, Kotb said she wants to spend more time with her daughters, Haley and Hope, who she shares with her ex. Joel Schiffmanplayed a big role in his decision. “I thought they deserved a big piece of my time, the pie that I have. I feel like we have limited time,” he said. “And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”
Scroll down to see more Today The most amazing host exit:
Deborah Norville
Norville replaced the longtime host Jane Pauley to Today in 1990. After a year on the series, she left the show during maternity leave due to criticism and declining ratings.
“I was pushed while on maternity leave, I just gave birth to my first child. It was very painful for me, that, in less than two years, he went from 'NBC's fastest rising star' to a place on television. It was terrible,” he recalled in a June 2012 column The Hollywood Reporter. But, just as an earthquake forces you to examine the foundation of your house, the collapse of my career forced me to reexamine everything.”
He continued: “The stress I was experiencing prompted me to investigate the power of the mind and led to my writing many books based on positive psychology, as I rebuilt my first job at ABC Radio, then with CBS News and Inside Edition.”
Norville served as the anchor Inside Edition since 1995.
Katie Couric
Couric took over hosting Norville in 1991 and continued Today until 2006. He recalled his decision to leave the show in his 2021 memoir, Go Therewriting, “In 2005, I was at a crossroads. I loved the Today but after 15 years, I was restless. I wanted to be recognized for my journalistic chops, and even though I did a lot of interviews in the morning, the fun stuff, which I enjoyed doing… [that] that's what people remembered. I felt like the show is getting softer, the conversations about the tough issues are getting shorter, the parts are getting more interesting.”
Couric continued to clip CBS Evening Newsbecoming the first single woman to anchor the nightly newscast. He left the role after five years, he said Today in October 2021 that he did not think “the country was ready to accept a female anchor.” He continued: “Maybe they weren't ready for me as a woman because of the way they see me. But I really went there and said that a woman can do this job with confidence and skill, and that's what motivated my decision.”
Ann Curry
Curry, who worked as Matt LauerHis coach for one year, he suddenly announced on air in 2012 that he was leaving the show. At the time, rumors circulated that the network was unhappy with her lack of chemistry with Lauer, which led to low ratings.
“I still don't really understand,” Curry said Elle his Today exit interview in September 2020. “I know I have done nothing wrong. I know I was doing my job well. They say where the fire is smoking. You can read the tea leaves. But you know, I'm a fact-based journalist, so it's hard for me to go out there, with something close to the vest. I don't know. I don't know.”
He continued: “The important thing is that it still hurts. In fact, it hurts a lot, because I really think I didn't do anything wrong. But despite your pain, which continues, I know that I have contributed to making other people suffer a little.”
Billy Bush
Us Weekly confirmed in October 2016 that Bush had been suspended from his job as a third-hour party Today after a video was leaked showing him using dirty words during an interview with her Donald Trump. He officially exited the series later that month after reaching a settlement with NBC.
“I'm so grateful for the conversations I've had with my daughters, and all the support from family, friends and colleagues,” Bush said. Us in a statement at the time. “I'm looking forward to what's to come.” Bush served as host of the More from 2019.
Tamron Hall
News broke in February 2017 that Hall would be leaving NBC News and MSNBC. This announcement came shortly after that disclosure Megyn Kelly it will take three hours Todaythe Hall it shared with Al Roker.
“Tamron is an outstanding journalist, we appreciate and appreciate his work Today and MSNBC and I hope you decide to stay. We are disappointed that he has chosen to leave, but we wish him all the best,” NBCUniversal said in a statement at the time.
The source is only told Us that the network was “not fighting that hard” to keep Hall ahead of Kelly Today at the door, noting that Kelly was seen as “very important.” A second insider told later Us that Hall was blindsided by the change and was only told “a few minutes before going on air” that Kelly was taking up his time and Roker's.
The hall continued Today for his anonymous talk show in 2019.
Matt Lauer
Savannah Guthrie and Kotb was shocked Today viewers in November 2017 by announcing that Lauer had been fired from NBC over allegations of sexual misconduct. At that time, Variety published a report accusing a longtime scholar of sexually abusing multiple women. The allegations included sending the woman a sex toy, pulling down her pants in front of the other and being angry with the woman for not having sex with her, among other allegations.
Lauer broke his silence on the scandal shortly after he was fired. “There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others through words and actions. To the people I hurt, I'm truly sorry,” Guthrie read on air in a statement on Lauer's behalf.
His statement continued: “Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul and I am committed to beginning that effort.” Now it's my full-time job.”
Kotb has been named as Lauer's successor in 2018. NBCUniversal released the findings of a months-long investigation into Lauer's actions in May, revealing that network executives had received no complaints about his behavior prior to November 2017 when a woman, later revealed Brooke Nevilsfiled a complaint against Lauer. According to the report, Lauer admitted to having sex with the woman one day later.
In Ronan Farrowbook of 2019, Catch and KillNevils accused Lauer of raping her in her hotel room during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Nevils said he confided in the past Today the host Meredith Vieira about this incident and are encouraged to report it to the staff.
Lauer denied the rape allegations in an October 2019 statement Uscalling what Nevils said a “blatant lie” and saying their meeting was consensual. “But less than a year later, he was said to have gone out trying to sell a book. And it seems like he was looking for a cash payment from NBC,” he added. “Now he lies and lies to help sell a different book and get into the limelight to cause as much damage as possible.”
Hoda Kotb
With his September 2024 departure announcement, Kotb shared that he will remain on the show until early 2025 and will not be leaving NBC entirely. “He's everybody's favorite,” an insider told NBC exclusively Us at that time. “He's as off-camera as he is on-camera, and I think that's the hardest part because that can't be said for everyone.”
Calling Kotb's exit a “huge blow” to the series, the source noted that the TV personality was “very focused” on good health in his next career steps. Kotb shared similar comments in the October 2024 episode of Today With Hoda & Jennasaying, “What I want to do is I want to live well.” I want to work in that space. I want to start things. I've got some things moving inside that I'm going to, hopefully they're going to take shape soon.”
Not long after Kotb shared the news of his exit, in September 2024 The Puck the report suggested that Kotb was leaving Today after he was asked to take a cut of more than $20 million in salary. However, a source close to Kotb said Us in a statement saying “salary did not play a role in Hoda's decision.”
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