In a delightful surprise that captivated audiences, Hoda Kotb's daughters, Haley, seven, and Hope, four, stole the spotlight during their unexpected visit to Jimmy Fallon's show on Tuesday night.
Haley, dubbed the future Today show anchor by the amused Jimmy, charmed everyone with her presence. "She's so cute," Jimmy couldn't help but comment.
This heartwarming moment unfolded while Hoda, accompanied by her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was there to discuss their latest literary ventures.
The appearance was particularly notable as it followed Hoda's recent venture into the dating scene for the first time since her split from her former fiancé, Joel Schiffman, in 2022.
At 59, the Today With Hoda and Jenna host candidly shared her new dating experience during an episode of the Kelly Clarkson Show that also aired on Tuesday.
In a moment of genuine excitement, Hoda revealed, "I do have to say something. Something did happen the other day that hasn’t happened in two years ... I had a date! I had a date!"
Her announcement was met with an eruption of applause and cheers from the audience, with Kelly, 41, lauding it as a "huge" milestone.
Despite the excitement, Hoda remained grounded, emphasizing to Clarkson that it was simply a date, nothing more.
The conversation took a turn when Hoda asked Kelly, who had experienced a challenging divorce from Brandon Blackstock, about her readiness to date again. Kelly's response, filled with laughter from the audience, was clear: "Not at all. Not even a little bit. I am really loving not having a man in my life, like, it’s just too hard."
While Hoda kept the specifics of her date under wraps, a slip during a February 15 episode of Today With Hoda and Jenna hinted at the development.
While discussing relationships with Jennifer Lopez, Lopez inadvertently revealed, "You just told me about your setup tonight." Hoda, taken aback by her own revelation, admitted with a laugh that she had indeed planned a date, a detail she hadn't intended to make public.
Following two years of singlehood, Jenna Bush Hager had been urging Hoda to embrace the idea of a blind date, even hinting during a February 19 episode that she was orchestrating a setup with a friend. Hoda, attempting to steer the conversation away, couldn't hide the new chapter unfolding in her life.
Hoda has been navigating life as a single mother since ending her engagement to Schiffman in January 2022. Reflecting on their relationship, she conveyed a sense of philosophical acceptance on Today with Hoda & Jenna, stating, "It’s not like something happened. 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."
The couple, who had been together for eight years and engaged for two, share Haley and Hope both of whom they adopted in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
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