Hoda Kotb was reduced to tears during her last day on the Today show Friday as her colleagues paid tribute to her in an emotional montage.
Kotb announced in September that she would be stepping down from the NBC series after 17 years on the show in order to spend more time with her daughters, Haley and Hope. She said at the time that turning 60 had also played a role in her decision.
As part of her big sendoff Friday, Kotb was shown a compilation of tributes from her fellow anchors. It included messages from Craig Melvin—who’ll be taking over Kotb’s anchor duties—and Savannah Guthrie, with whom she has co-hosted the show since anchor Matt Lauer’s departure in 2017 over sexual misconduct allegations.
“Hoda, I love you,” Guthrie said at the end of the supercut as Coldplay’s “All My Love” played. “I love you deeply. Like I always tell you, whether you’re sitting next to me or not, whether we get up at 4 o’clock in the morning together or not, I will always be by your side and you will always be by mine.”
Kotb wiped away tears as the montage came to an end. “That was not fair,” she said. “Can I just say thank you? I mean, I haven’t been able to articulate it because I’m a mess most of the time, but I just want to say thanks.”
Guthrie also wept openly as Kotb went around the couch to hail Carson Daly as “the secret sauce” of the show, Al Roker as her “first friend” on the team, and Guthrie herself as “my person.” She also told Melvin she is “so happy for him.”
“Come Monday, at 7 o’clock AM, I am gonna be dead asleep—” Kotb said, getting a huge laugh from Melvin, adding: “But you’re gonna be fantastic!”
It wasn’t just Kotb’s Today show colleagues paying tribute.
Jamie Lee Curtis sent a gift along with a video message. “I did have something made for you by Moy Thompson, and it’s one of my orbs,” Curtis said in the clip. “It says: ‘Every today with you is a better day’ and the dates of your time at the Today show. So from all of your fans, your friends—me included—thank you for being such a shining example to all of us of what’s really important. And the reason that you’re stopping is the most important.”
Guthrie, who handed over the orb, explained that Curtis had planned to be in the studio to “surprise” Kotb for her last day but was unable to because of the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Oprah Winfrey also sent in a recorded message reassuring Kotb that she’d made the right decision for her daughters.
“Hoda, Hoda, Hoda. Well, I know what making this decision feels like,” Winfrey said in the clip. “I will assure you that yes, you have made the right move, although it has been very hard to do, and I know that Haley and Hope are going to benefit so much from this decision, and whatever you decide to do in your next chapter, in the next adventure, it will be the best decision for you and for your family.”
Kotb was joined by her daughters near the end of the 8 a.m. hour. The family were serenaded during the segment by Kermit the Frog, who also lavished Kotb with praise. “I just have to say, Hoda, you truly do make every day as beautiful as a rainbow,” the Muppet said, before singing “Rainbow Connection.”
