Hoda Kotb Facts: Get to Know the ‘Today’ Show Host

For more than 15 years, Hoda Kotb has been a popular face on Today, lighting up TV screens with her vibrant personality. The television host is always sharing glimpses into her personal life with viewers about everything from her breakup to being a mom of two. Still, some might be shocked to find that there are some interesting things they might not know about her.

Hoda studied journalism at Virginia Tech and searched for a job after graduation. In a June 2016 interview with SiriusXM, the Oklahoma native shared that she was rejected by 27 television stations before a small station in Mississippi finally gave her a chance. She initially did not expect the station to hire her but brought in her tape anyway. Little did she know, it was just the start of a massive broadcast career.

“You know, the whole God gives you a sign — I literally got lost in Mississippi because I was listening to James Taylor, and sad and driving aimlessly, and I saw a physical sign that said, ‘Greenville, Mississippi, Our eye is on you.’ It had like a CBS eye. News center 15, WXVT. I said, ‘I’m gonna go there and get rejected,’” she said.

After her time working in Mississippi, Hoda moved on to work at WQAD in Illinois and WINK in Florida. In 1992, the New York Times bestselling author began working at WWL in Louisiana. She held the position for six years before joining NBC in 1998 as a correspondent and anchor for Dateline. The mother of two took on the role she’s best known for, hosting Today with Kathie Lee Gifford in 2008.

The pair solidified their status as one of television’s most iconic duos during their decade of working together. Even when Kathie Lee left the show in 2019, they continued their friendship offscreen. The Then Came You actress told Fox News that she was “thrilled” that Hoda became a mother for the second time in April 2019.

The Sharknado star loves being a mom to her daughters, Hayley Joy and Hope Catherine, whom she welcomed via adoption with her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman. Hoda announced their breakup during a January 2022 episode of Today.

“Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and meaningful conversations over the holidays and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple, so we decided we are going to start this new year … on our new path as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children, and as friends,” the breast cancer survivor told viewers.

Jenna Bush Hager joined Today as Hoda’s cohost in 2019. The pair have a sweet relationship on camera and have shared such emotional stories with each other and millions that tune in every day. Their honesty and vulnerability is one of the reasons why the program has remained such a big hit on the network.

Scroll to learn five interesting facts about Hoda!

Hoda Was a High School Athlete

The NBC star pursued her passion for journalism in college and was a very talented athlete in high school. Hoda attended Fort Hunt High School in Virginia and graduated in 1982 after becoming a basketball and field hockey star. After facing so many rejections early on in her career, the news anchor used what she learned from playing basketball to get her through the tough times.

“I used to play high school basketball, so I believed until the buzzer hit that you could win. I believed that with everything in me,” she told E! News in March 2021 about her perseverance. “I didn’t really think of the odds. I just went into that same weird mode that a lot of people go into because either you’re stubborn or you’re stupid. I just thought to myself, ‘I really like this and I want to try it and there are a lot of people who are going to say no, so it’s like you either trust your inside voice or all the outside voices.'”

She’s a Huge Fan of Blake Shelton

Hoda’s love for country superstar Blake Shelton runs deep. She’s a huge fan of the “God’s Country” singer, who is also from Oklahoma. In 2018, Blake cohosted Today with Hoda in Nashville, an experience she called her “favorite day ever.”

Five years prior to that moment, the television star contemplated naming her new dog after Blake. The CMA winner called in to the show to encourage her to name the pup after him. She decided right then and there to call her new furry friend, Blake Charlie Kotb.

She Appeared in Martina McBride’s Music Video

In 2011, Hoda made an appearance in Martina McBride’s music video for the song “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.” The song and video honor cancer survivors and also features Sheryl Crow and Robin Roberts. Hoda was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and underwent an eight-hour surgery and treatment. Now in remission, Hoda is an advocate for breast cancer research.

She Previously Lived in Egypt

Both of Hoda’s parents were born in Egypt. She was born in Oklahoma and raised in West Virginia, but did travel to Egypt often throughout her childhood. Hoda lived there for a year along with living in Nigeria before becoming a star on Today. In a 2007 interview with Today, she explained the story behind her name.

“My parents were both born in Egypt. So my name Hoda is so weird here, but in Egypt it’s like Jane. I’ve walked down the streets in Cairo and someone yelled out ‘Hoda!’ and like 10 girls turned around,” she said. “I’m literally the Jane Smith of the Nile, but here everyone’s like ‘What’s your name? How do you spell it? Rhoda?’ I did a whole interview once, no lie, where the guy was calling me Yoda. And he was a name injector and said it over and over again. And you know when it’s already gone too far, and then you can’t correct him? I just started laughing. Luckily it was a taped interview for Dateline so we could edit it out.”