Supporting his pal. Al Roker assured fans that Hoda Kotb is doing OK amid her hiatus from the Today show.
“She’s going to be just fine,” the weatherman, 68, told Page Six on Friday, March 3.
He continued: “She’s dealing with what she’s gotta deal with and all will be good.”
Kotb, 58, appeared in a pre-taped segment on Friday. The prerecorded segment featured interviews with the late Olivia Newton-John‘s husband, John Easterling, and her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, whom the Xanadu actress shared with ex Matt Lattanzi. Before the clip aired, anchor Sheinelle Jones noted that Kotb “recently” spoke to the late Grease star’s family.
The Oklahoma hasn’t been featured on Today since February 20 when she appeared in a pre-taped episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna for Presidents’ Day. She hasn’t been on a live segment of Today With Hoda & Jenna — her third-hour today show segment with cohost Jenna Bush Hager — since February 17. During the Monday, February 27, installment of the show, Savannah Guthrie told viewers that Kotb was “off today.”
Fans finally had answers on Wednesday, March 1, when Craig Melvin and Jones, 44, filled in as both Kotb and Guthrie, 51, were missing from the anchor desk.
“We mentioned that Savannah and Hoda are both off. Savannah, she’s home after a positive COVID test yesterday. We are wishing our friend a speedy recovery,” Melvin, 43, explained to viewers. “And as for Hoda, we know a lot of you have been wondering how she’s doing. We can tell you that Hoda’s OK. She’s got a family health matter that she’s been dealing with, so we look forward to seeing Hoda and Savannah back at the desk real, real soon.”
Roker added at the time: “We love you both.”
Kotb, who shares daughters Haley, 6, and Hope, 3, with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman, has not publicly commented on the matter.
Amid her hiatus, the You Are My Happy author has shared several optimistic quotes via Instagram. “Sometimes miracles are just good people with kind hearts,” one graphic, shared on Sunday, February 26, read.
The following day, she posted an image that said, “Choose Hope.”
While Kotb has been dealing with her “family health matter,” Guthrie is recovering from COVID-19. She left within the first hour of the Tuesday, February 28, show. The 51-year-old broadcaster was present at the top of the show but left suddenly. Jones revealed the surprise diagnosis. “By the way, it has been an interesting morning for us,” Jones said. “As we said, Savannah left early, she wasn’t feeling great, so she took a COVID test. It came back positive.”
Return dates have not been announced for either Guthrie or Kotb.
