Viewers love it when Hoda Kotb returns to the Today Show. She left a full-time role at the morning program in January 2025 to focus on her wellness brand. Yet, when Savannah Guthrie’s beloved mother went missing, Hoda returned to the anchor desk when needed, but she was the guest on her latest return. She opened up to Sheinelle Jones and Jenna Bush Hager about some exciting things happening in her life. Hoda Kotb teased a “handsome” new man after her failed engagement. Keep reading for all the details.
Hoda Kotb Opens Up About Turning 62
Hoda Kotb spent nearly 20 years with NBC and the Today Show. When she left in 2025, she cited a desire to do other things and spend more time with her two children. The news anchor launched a wellness company, Joy 101, a few months after leaving Today. She returned to the morning program this week with an update on the company.
She revealed that Joy 101 is launching a huge event for 2027. The first-ever Joy Fest takes over New Orleans next year. Moreover, the company has hosted several smaller retreats throughout the country since launching in 2025.
Hoda Kotb celebrated her 62nd birthday earlier this month with her family. “All I’m doing is learning all over again. I’m just trying to get better, not just at living, but at my company and how I’m navigating my life,” she said about life at 62.
She revealed on Jenna and Sheinelle that her family, including her 90-year-old mother, went to the Bahamas to celebrate. She met a very “handsome” man during the trip. Her last relationship ended in 2021.
Former Today Host Teases ‘Handsome’ New Man After Failed Engagement
Hoda Kotb got engaged to Joel Schiffman in 2019 after five years of dating. They adopted two daughters during their relationship, Haley and Hope. However, the engagement didn’t work out, and they went their separate ways in 2021. But not too separate. The former couple still vacations together with their two children.
Five years after the end of her engagement, Hoda Kotb spilled about the “handsome” man she met in the most unlikely place. “This is not a real love connection thing, but I did meet someone on a plane when I was flying somewhere. It was the weirdest connection in the world, we were both crying,” she told Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones.
Jenna Bush Hager called the meet-cute “romantic” and asked if they should try to find them. But Hoda Kotb already found him again. “Our company went to Cannes, so we could talk about our company [Joy 101]. And he was in the audience, randomly. And he goes, ‘Hi,’ and I said, ‘Hi.’ But then, it all kind of went away,” she shared.
But don’t be too disappointed! Hoda Kotb teased that she texted with her “really cute” mystery man recently. “Look. There are connections. I don’t know what it is,” she said. For now, they’re taking things slow. Stay tuned for updates on Hoda Kotb’s mystery man.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger