Former Western Illinois Reporter Hoda Kotb Leaving TODAY Show

A staple of morning TV is taking a step back from the spotlight.

It's really cool to see celebrities make it big after some time in the Quad Cities, and that's what happened to Hoda Kotb.

She announced this morning on the TODAY show that she will be leaving the show early next year, according to NBC Chicago.

She said her 60th birthday celebration in the Plaza felt like a shift, but in a good way. For over 5 years, Hoda has been a co-anchor on TODAY with Savannah Guthrie and has been part of 4th hour of the show with both Kathie Lee Gifford and now, Jenna Bush Hager. Hoda shared a letter to TODAY staff this morning that read in part:

As I write this, my heart is all over the map. I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one. And you all are the reason why. They say two things can be right at the same time, and I’m feeling that so deeply right now. I love you and it’s time for me to leave the show.

She's been with NBC for over 3 decades and though she's leaving the show, she's not leaving the company.

Her Time In The Quad Cities

Hoda was a reporter for ABC affiliate WQAD in Moline from 1988-1989. She then continued to move up the market chain and went to Fort Myers, Florida then New Orleans, Louisiana.

She told the Quad-City Times in 2007 that she loved her time in Moline:

There was something about the place that was so charming. I remember meeting people at WQAD, and I loved the people right away. So when the question was 'Do you want to move to the freezer?' the answer was 'Yes'.

It's not been announced what her new role will be at NBC, but she's staying with the TODAY show through the beginning of 2025.