Hoda Kotb is embarking on a new chapter in her love life, with plans already underway for a third date with a man introduced to her by her co-host and friend, Jenna Bush Hager.
In a candid conversation with Entertainment Tonight, the 59-year-old Today with Hoda & Jenna co-anchor shared insights into her budding romance and the role Jenna played in sparking this connection.
Jenna, who Hoda praises as a "great picker" when it comes to setting up friends, facilitated the introduction, despite not knowing Hoda's new interest very closely.
"Jenna is a great picker; she really is," Hoda expressed. "She goes, 'Look, I just want you to know: I don't really know him. A friend of mine knows a friend.'"
Reflecting on her recent dating experience, Hoda revealed that she thoroughly enjoyed her second date with the man, a sentiment that encouraged her to embrace life's possibilities.
"I had a great time," she said, emphasizing the importance of stepping out and experiencing life. "You know what? Life is beautiful! Like, try things, go out, get out of your house and your apartment. I feel like life is meant to be experienced and step out into it."
Hoda's venture back into the dating world comes after a significant hiatus. She disclosed on The Kelly Clarkson Show that she recently went on her first date in two years, marking a notable personal milestone.
This revelation followed Jenna's hint on Today that she was actively working on setting up a close friend on a date.
Hoda's journey to finding love again unfolds after the end of her two-year engagement and eight-year relationship with Joel Schiffman in December 2021.
Opening up about their split on Today with Hoda & Jenna, Hoda emphasized that their breakup wasn't the result of a singular event.
"It's not like something happened," she explained, suggesting that their relationship served its purpose for a particular phase of her life.
"They say sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason, for a season or for a lifetime, and I feel like ours was meant to be there for a season."
As Hoda navigates this new phase, she and Joel continue to co-parent their two adopted daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 4.
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