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Jimmy Fallon Sent Hoda Kotb the Funniest Message When He Learned She's Leaving TODAY
The Tonight Show Host told the NBC veteran that news of her departure made him and his wife Nancy "emotional."
Hoda Kotb just went from TODAY to tonight... The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, that is.
On September 26, Kotb made the shocking announcement that after 17 years, she's leaving TODAY in early 2025. The news came as a surprise not only to viewers, but to NBC colleagues like Jimmy Fallon, who had no idea Kotb was leaving. And, the anchor shared, Fallon sent the most hilarious message with a gift when he heard the news.
"First of all, the favorite card that I got was from you, and the card said, 'What the hell?'" Hoda told Fallon and The Tonight Show audience on October 7. "That was it, and there was a bottle of wine with it."
The TODAY anchor revealed she feels like she is in a "repotting" phase, where "you pull yourself up by the roots, and you're kind of dangling... but you know you're going to land in fertile ground."
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During her interview with Fallon, Hotb also shared stories from her *26 years* with NBC, including a sweet encounter with fans of her work as a reporter New Orleans on her very first day in 30 Rock. She also shared the tip Keith Morrison shared with her about how to engage audiences with her delivery on TV.
Watch Hoda Kotb's full interview with Jimmy Fallon above.
Why Hoda Kotb is leaving TODAY in 2025
Kotb turned 60 on August 9, and TODAY commemorated the milestone with a special celebration, and it was that birthday bash that prompted her decision to depart.
"When I turned 60, something weird happened, man," Kotb told Fallon. "I turned 60, and we had this beautiful party at the TODAY show, and I looked out at the sea of all the people who came, and beautiful signs and such so many well-wishes, and I knew in my heart, this is it, man. This is what the mountaintop must feel like. I've never had that feeling before."
Kotb is excited to take her daughters to school
Kotb intends to spend more time with her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, after she leaves TODAY.
"They need a little more of me, and I need more of them," Kotb told Fallon, sharing that her current wake-up time for TODAY is 3:15 a.m.(!!!).
As for what's next, Kotb will remain on the show through early next year, and she confirmed to Fallon that she's still "going to be doing stuff at NBC" once she's no longer a fixture onscreen in the morning.
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"Thank you so much for coming on, because I know this just happened last week," said Fallon, referring to Kotb's announcement. "I'm like, 'Can you please come on and explain what's going on?' Because I love you so much. I'm going to miss you, but you're not going to be away. You're not going to be a stranger."
At the end of the interview, Kotb, holding back tears, told The Tonight Show Host, "By the way, tonight means a lot. Thank you for asking me." Always a class act.
