It's safe to say Hoda Kotb was missed on the 'Today' show while she took a maternity leave.
It's safe to say Hoda Kotb was missed on the Today show while she took a maternity leave.
Kotb returned to her co-anchor seat on the popular NBC morning show on Tuesday. The 55-year-old television personality took time off from her job in April when her and her boyfriend, Joel Schiffman, adopted their second daughter, Hope. The couple is also parents to their 2-year-old daughter, Haley, whom they adopted in February 2017.
"I've had the best five months I ever could've imagined in my life," an emotional Kotb said on-air to her co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, as well as Today hosts Carson Daly and Al Roker. "I didn’t know what I was missing. And I was also excited to come back, and I thought to myself, when I watch Haley now and I watch Hope, I think, 'I'm 55 and I get to be with them.' And I know it was a lot of time to take off and I felt a little bad about it, but in reality, life is a blink, and you get this moment, and I decided that I was going to take it."
Kotb's co-workers were definitely excited for her return, nobody more so than Guthrie. Guthrie shared a few snaps on Instagram of herself and Kotb, gushing, "She's here!!!!!!! ❤️?☀️."
"Could. Not. Be. Happier," she added.
The Today show also shared a sweet video of a few celebrities sharing messages for Kotb upon her return, including Carrie Underwood and Julia Roberts.
"I miss you and your gorgeous face on TV every morning, so congrats again on your sweet girls, and welcome back, welcome home!" Underwood said.
Meanwhile, Roberts shared, "Got a couple of lucky daughters to have you as a mother and I think a person with a heart as big as yours, who's as compassionate as you, needs no mothering advice."
Blake Shelton also sent a flirty video message to Kotb that she played twice! "I've been waking up with you for a long time and I don't want that to ever change again," he quipped.
ET spoke with Kotb in May at Sesame Street's Sesame Workshop 50th Anniversary Benefit Gala in New York City, where she talked about becoming a mom later in life.
"Some people are lucky enough to have their time in their 20s," she said. "Some people, for whatever reason, need to wait a little longer. But waiting ain't bad when this is at the end."
For more, watch the video below:
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