Hoda Kotb Still Wears This Subtle Nod to TODAY Everyday
She keeps reminders of TODAY literally wrapped around her!
It’s been about two months since Hoda Kotb departed TODAY, but a big part of her never really left!
In an illuminating March 4 interview with PEOPLE, Kotb confessed she keeps reminders of her time on the show on her wrist — in the form of friendship bracelets! The 60-year-old was given many bracelets by her colleagues on her last day on the job and she just can’t bear to take any of them off yet. (Proving that she won’t forget anyone anytime soon.)
"All these bracelets that I got are from people who gave me them on the last day," she explained while pointing out each piece of jewelry. "This lady gave me one that says 'January 10, 2025' — she gave me the date. This one says TODAY Show. This one says, 'Hoda. Be kind.' Anyone who gave me one on the last day I’ve been wearing it. I can’t take them off yet."
Kotb keeping mementos of her last day tells fans everything there is to know about how much she loves and misses every person she’s touched while co-anchoring TODAY. It’s a subtle nod to the show that reminds her of not only where she’s been, but how many lives she’s touched along the way. (And nothing is more on-brand for Kotb than that!)
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In addition to talking about her bracelets, Kotb also revealed how much she’s emotionally invested in Jenna Bush Hager’s search for a permanent co-host for TODAY with Jenna & Friends. Hager has been on a “blind dating” marathon of a lifetime for someone who could fill Kotb’s shoes.
Unsurprisingly, Kotb knows her friend will make the right decision.
"What this has shown me is that Jenna is a mega talent," she said. "It was always clear to me, but it's even clearer because now I'm watching her have blind dates every week with new co-hosts, and the common thread is how awesome she is. She's incredible. So whoever she chooses is going to be great with her."
Hoda Kotb speaks about her next exciting project
While Hager has her hands full searching for Kotb’s permanent replacement during TODAY’s fourth hour, Kotb has been quietly working on a project of her own to keep her busy. In an October 2024 interview with PEOPLE, she gave fans a few hints on what her next venture entails.
"I have something that I am super excited about that's in its infancy," she revealed. "It's a whole wellness situation, and I got lit up by that just from stuff I've been working on and doing on myself. I've learned to do a bunch of different things with breath works and what not through friends, through Jenna, through Maria [Shriver], through all these different people, and I've been loving it."
Kotb says the project is "still early on in the stages," but if things go according to plan, the longtime co-anchor will produce a smartphone app focused on wellness and wellbeing — two things incredibly important to her. How cool is that?
