Take a look back at one of the most enduring legacies of Kathie Lee Gifford's 11 years on 'Today' -- her friendship with Hoda Kotb.
With Kathie Lee Gifford's last day of the Today show upon us on Friday, let's take a look back at one of the most enduring legacies of her 11 years on the popular NBC morning show -- her incredible friendship with her fourth-hour co-host, Hoda Kotb.
Kathie Lee and Hoda have been co-hosting the 10 a.m. hour of the Today show since 2008. The BFFs have given fans endless heartfelt and hilarious moments together through the years while also having one another's backs through life-changing situations -- such as Hoda's battle with breast cancer and the death of Kathie Lee's husband -- often over a glass of wine.
Let's take a look back at their most emotional moments together.
Hoda breaks down in tears on-air over the death of Kathie Lee's late husband, Frank Gifford:
Hoda and Kathie Lee have certainly felt each other's highs and lows through the years. Hoda cried on-air over the death of Frank, who died of natural causes in the Connecticut home he shared with Kathie Lee in August 2015. The former NFL player and sportscaster was 84 years old.
Hoda said she had been supporting Kathie Lee through the tough time, and wiped away tears while giving viewers an update on her close co-host.
"She is remarkably strong, I'm in awe of her even today," she said of Kathie Lee, adding that "Frank will be beloved by family and friends."
In October 2016, Kathie Lee also broke down on-air remembering her late husband on what would have been their 30th wedding anniversary and thanked Hoda for a thoughtful tribute. Hoda played a song off-camera to commemorate the occasion.
"Today would have marked my 30th wedding anniversary with my husband," Kathie Lee said. "And, I'm deeply grateful for all the years I had with that beautiful man… so thank you for that beautiful song."
"I had no intention of saying that, but that's why I love working with you, Hoda," she continued.
Kathie Lee thanks Hoda for her support after her mother, Joan Epstein's, death:
Hoda was once again there for Kathie Lee when Kathie Lee's mother died in September 2017.
"Sitting next to you, you gave me strength and comfort," Kathie Lee said while holding hands with Hoda. "I'm always safe here with you."
Hoda and Kathie Lee tearfully reunite after Hoda adopts daughter Haley Joy:
Hoda cried in April 2017 as she made her return to the Today show after adopting her daughter, Haley Joy, and reunited with Kathie Lee.
"Where's my other girl?" Hoda sweetly said as she hugged Kathie Lee.
Later, during one particularly touching moment, the two broke down as Hoda talked about becoming a new mom later in life after wanting it for so long.
"You know, when you're 52 and you do something like this, it's sort of like, you waited so long, every single moment is something," Hoda explained. "Even the worst moments ... I remember I had a really terrible day ... and I was literally holding her, and I was kind of upset because I was just having a moment, and I said, You know what? I'm going to say thank you right now because I would've begged, begged for a day like that. So, I'll take the bad ones, because I would have begged for that kind of day if I could just have a child."
Kathie Lee praises Hoda in emotional tribute:
Kathie Lee's heartfelt speech about Hoda at an American Cancer Society luncheon in October 2017 brought many in the crowd to tears, as well as Kathie Lee herself. Hoda -- who was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2007 and underwent a mastectomy -- was honored as the American Cancer Society's Mother of the Year, and Kathie Lee talked about how the two met. Kathie Lee said she met Hoda a decade ago, when NBC tried convincing her to return to television after her 15-year stint on Live With Regis and Kathie Lee.
"I fell absolutely, madly in love with this life force called Hoda, who just made me a better person," Kathie Lee said, sharing that she knew immediately that she had made a lifelong friend. "The only thing bigger than her smile is her heart. Hoda Kotb is my Egyptian sun goddess. You have to be very careful around Hoda because she's the most contagious human being on the planet. She will infect you. She will make you happy. She will make you start singing really crappy songs. That's what she does. She can't help it. She just shows up and the room changes."
"It is my great honor and privilege to give this to one of my dearest, dearest friends who is one of the finest human beings I've ever met in my life," she continued. "I adore you, Hoda Kotb."
Last August, Hoda hilariously gave her own story to Today co-host Al Roker about meeting Kathie Lee for the first time, and revealed if the two really get drunk on-air.
Hoda and Kathie Lee celebrate 10 years together:
Hoda and Kathie Lee were in tears in April 2018 when they looked back at their close friendship over the years as they celebrated co-hosting together for a decade.
Kathie Lee recalled at first being reluctant to come back to TV after Live With Regis and Kathie Lee ended in 2000, but hit it off with Hoda at a lunch that lasted until the restaurant kicked them out.
"We seemed like the odd couple, we come from different worlds, we certainly look different ... but what we discovered is we have everything in common that was important," Kathie Lee said. "... We just felt so comfortable with each other right from the very beginning."
Hoda cries after Kathie Lee announces she's leaving the Today show after 11 years:
Not surprisingly, Hoda was in tears over Kathie Lee's announcement in December that she's leaving the Today show after more than a decade to pursue other projects.
"The minute you stepped into my life with both feet, everything changed," Kotb tearfully told Kathie Lee. "You chose me and that's how it started. I was thinking about everything good that's happened in my life has happened since you came."
"Everything happened. … How does one person step in your life and change it like that? And you did that for me," she added.
The feeling is clearly mutual. Kathie Lee said she had only planned to stay on the Today show for a year, but then "fell in love with a beautiful Egyptian goddess."
"You start sharing life, and your friendship shows up on the air," Kathie Lee said. "We weren't colleagues very long. We became friends and now we're going to be friends for the rest of our lives."
"I'm grateful to God for you," she added. "God’s used you in my life every bit as much as he's used me in yours, sweetie. That's the way it goes. No crumbs on his table."
Kathie Lee gets emotional about time with Hoda while preparing to exit Today:
Kathie Lee teared up while talking to ET on March 26 about the end of an era with Hoda when she leaves the Today show.
"She's the best friend you can have," Kathie Lee said. "I consider Hoda one of my dearest forever."
"Hoda is sunshine in a bottle, and I think Hoda came into my life when I think I lost a lot of sunshine," she continued. "I was kind of weary and worn out from life."
Kathie Lee noted how Hoda has been with her through hard times in her life.
"You don't bond on the mountain top so much. You bond in the valleys," she noted.
And who will cry the most on Kathie Lee's final day?
"I think it'll probably be me," Hoda confessed to ET.
Meanwhile, Kathie Lee insisted, "She's going to be fine."
Watch the video below for more:
RELATED CONTENT:
