Kathie Lee Gifford Spills The Tea On Her TODAY Show Departure

Richard April 18, 2025

Hey there, friends. So, let’s talk about that big bombshell Kathie Lee Gifford dropped back on December 11. Out of the blue, she announced she was leaving the TODAY show after 11 incredible years. Can you believe it? People were floored by the news. But guess what? One person wasn’t entirely surprised: Kathie’s co-host and partner-in-crime, Hoda Kotb. And why’s that? Because Kathie had already clued Hoda in on her decision ages ago. That’s right—Hoda knew the tea way before anyone else!

Now, on the latest episode of—you guessed it—TODAY, the ever-gracious Kathie Lee opened up about her big decision. At 65 years old, she revealed that Hoda had been in on the secret for quite some time. She said, “Hoda’s known it for a long, long time. All these other projects have been bubbling up—and it’s so exciting. Movies and music and so many wonderful things. And I need the time to do them properly.” Kathie also shared how she felt a sense of relief after finally breaking the news to everyone. “I’ve known it was coming for a long, long time,” she admitted. It’s clear that this decision wasn’t made lightly, but rather with a lot of thought and planning.

“I feel so relieved… because I’ve known it was coming for a long, long time. You want to get your story out before somebody else tries to tell your story in an inaccurate way.” @kathielgifford talks about her major announcement yesterday – that she’s leaving TODAY in 2019. pic.twitter.com/PREDjHCZE0
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— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 12, 2018

But Kathie wasn’t done sharing her heart. She also revealed that she had originally planned to leave in 2017, but those plans got derailed by some major shake-ups at the show. “I went to our bosses here, actually almost two years ago,” Kathie recalled. “And said, ‘I’m going to do one more year with Hoda woman. I’ll go out. I’ll retire with 10, a nice round number, 10 years with my sun goddess from Egypt.’” But life had other plans. The chaos surrounding Matt Lauer’s exit threw everything into disarray. And now, here we are. So, who’s going to sip wine with Hoda now? Tell us, Kathie!

Kathie’s Farewell: A Heartfelt Goodbye to Her "Sun Goddess"

“We do life, and nobody more than my Hoda,” Kathie said, her voice filled with emotion. “It’s going to be the same as my Regis. I’m closer to him now more than after 15 years together. You don’t share that life together and not be changed forever by it.” Kathie’s words were heartfelt and deeply personal, reminding us all of the lasting impact that shared experiences can have on our lives. “I love you, Hoda mama. First, you were just Hoda, remember?” she added, leaving fans teary-eyed. Honestly, who expects to be hit with such feels so early in the morning? Not us, that’s for sure.

What’s Next for Hoda and Kathie?

But don’t you worry, folks. We still have about four more months to enjoy watching Hoda and Kathie bond over wine and discuss the latest happenings in news and pop culture. Honestly, it’s like a masterclass in friendship right there on our screens. And let’s be real, most of us are already doing the same thing with our friends at home. So, while Kathie’s departure may be bittersweet, we can still cherish these final months together.

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