Biography - Hoda Kotb

Who is Hoda Kotb?

Hoda Kotb is a broadcast journalist, television personality, author by profession, and American by nationality. She is best known as the co-anchor of the NBC News morning show Today and co-host of the Fourth hour.

Hoda Kotb – Age, Parents, Siblings

Hoda Kotb’s birth took on August 9, 1964, in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. She was born to Egyptian parents A.K. Kotb, a fossil energy specialist, and Sameha Kotb, a Library of Congress worker. She has two siblings, brother Adel Kotb and sister Hala Kotb.

Education, Ethnicity

She was educated at the Fort Hunt High School, graduating in 1982 as a homecoming queen. She then joined Virginia Tech and graduated from the same in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism.

Her ethnicity is Egyptian.

Hoda Kotb – Boyfriend, Husband, Children, Divorce

Hoda Kotb married former University of New Orleans tennis coach Burzis Kanga on 3 December 2005. But in March 2007, she underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer which is well documented on Today Show. Since then she became an advocate for breast cancer awareness.

But cancer had left her unable to conceive. Within a few years, her marriage to Kanga collapsed and the two divorced on 6 February  2008. 

Jay Blumenkopf is an ex-boyfriend of hers.

She was dating New York financier Joel Schiffman since 2013. Together they have adopted two babies, both girls. Haley Joy Kotb’s adoption was announced on February 21, 2017, while Hope Catherine Kotb’s adoption was announced on April 16, 2019, via a phone call to the Today Show.

The couple took their relationship to the next level after their engagement, which was announced in November 2019. After sharing in October 2020 that they are in the process of adopting a third child, Kotb revealed in July 2021 that the adoption process has been very slow due to the pandemic.

Moreover, in January 2022, it was confirmed that Kotb and Schiffman had broken up after eight years together.

Also read: ‘Today' co-anchor Hoda Kotb adopts baby girl at 54 with boyfriend Joel Schiffman!

Hoda Kotb – Career

As a journalist

Kotb began her professional career soon after graduating from college. Her first on-air job was at WXVT and had worked as a morning anchor and general assignment reporter for WQAD-TV from 1986 to 1989. Later she worked as a reporter and anchor for WWL-TV from 1992 to 1998.

From 1989 to 1991, she worked as a weekend anchor and reporter on WINK-TV. After she left the channel, she joined WWL-TV as an anchor and reporter and held the post until 1998.

In 1998, Hoda Kotb became an NBC News National correspondent and an anchor, correspondent for Dateline NBC, the position she has maintained to this day. She occasionally filled in for Savannah Guthrie and Matt Lauer Today.

Since 2008, Hoda Kotb alongside Kathie Lee Gifford (until April 2019) co-hosted the Fourth hour of the Today Show. In March 2017, she was added as a third co-anchor of Today.

Also read: Robin Roberts - Anchor, Broadcaster of Good Morning America 

Author, Actor

Her biography Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee was released in October 2010 and was named New York Times Bestseller. Her second book Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives was published on January 15, 2013.

Hoda Kotb’s third book Where They Belong: The Best Decisions People Almost Never Made was released in 2016 and was followed by her fourth book I've Loved You Since Forever in 2018.

She has also had appearances in films and TV series including Lipstick Jungle (2009), 30 Rock (2010), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2014), Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015), Nashville (2017), and Sharknado 5: Global Swarming (2017), among others.

Co-stars

Kotb has been professionally associated with Kathie Lee Gifford, Jenna Bush Hager, and Savannah Guthrie.

Also read: Jenna Bush Hager reveals the sex of her third baby with husband Henry Hager!

Hoda Kotb – Awards, Nominations

Kotb was awarded Daytime Emmy Award as part of the Today Show in 2010, Peabody Award (2007), Edward R. Murrow Award, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, and four Gracie Awards.

Hoda Kotb – Net worth, Salary

Her net worth and salary are estimated at around $30 million and $8 million respectively.

Hoda Kotb – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

On social media, she is active on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with thousands of followers and counting.

Also read: Shepard Smith - Journalist, Anchor, Host