Hoda Kotb's fans can now rest easy as her co-stars Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin finally provided the reason for her continued absence from the Today Show.
The anchor has been away from the show during each of the new week's installments, with previously recorded segments of Today with Hoda and Jenna airing alongside those with Willie Geist subbing in.
© Photo: Getty ImagesSavannah and Craig clarified why Hoda has been off
While introducing the new show on Wednesday morning, Savannah finally clarified that her co-host was simply enjoying some well-deserved time off.
"Craig's helping out, Hoda's enjoying vacation," she stated, assuaging worries for many viewers who might've worried that continued family troubles could be the cause for her absence.
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The 58-year-old host has herself not mentioned why she has been away, although she has also been spending more time on the new season of her podcast, Making Space with Hoda Kotb.
It hasn't been long since Hoda took some time off to care for her youngest daughter, Hope Catherine, who had been in the ICU. Check out what she said in the video below.
VIDEO: Hoda Kotb tears up as she discusses daughter Hope's health battle
The NBC News anchor, who was away from her role for almost two weeks at the end of February, returned to Today on 6 March, explaining that her daughter had been unwell.
"My youngest, Hope, was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a week," she said, adding: "I'm so grateful she's home, she is back home, I was waiting for that day to come, and we are watching her closely."
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She was immediately inundated with a wave of support from her Today Show family and many other friends and family members, even receiving a surprise gift for her two daughters, Hope and Haley, from Jamie Lee Curtis.
Hoda's absence at the top of the week also happened to coincide with Savannah being away from her regular hosting desk, although Craig and her sub Sheinelle Jones explained that away quickly by assuring that she was simply "on assignment."
Savannah herself was away on assignment at the start of the week
Mom-of-two Savannah had been busy interviewing Virginia teacher Abigail Zwerner, who was shot by one of her six-year-old students in January.
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