Former Today star Kristen Welker has announced that she and her husband John Hughes are set to welcome their second child via a surrogate.
The journalist returned to the Today studio on Tuesday, joining hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb almost a year after she left the Weekend program.
Sharing the exciting announcement alongside her husband John, Kristen said: "John and I are thrilled to announce we're welcoming our second baby into our family with the help of another amazing surrogate. We're so excited."
The 47-year-old continued: "It's been a little bit of a secret this time but sharing our story about our struggles with infertility and our journey to becoming parents has been so rewarding and we hope that our news offers hope to others who are trying to build their own families."
The couple later revealed that they're expecting a baby boy and shared their daughter Margot's reaction to the happy news. "She's so excited," revealed Kristen. "She's been telling all of her classmates that she's getting a baby brother for her birthday because her birthday is in June and he's due just a few weeks earlier."
Kristen and John, who wed in 2017, welcomed Margot in June 2021 via a surrogate after a years-long infertility journey that included several rounds of in vitro fertilization.
"She is the love of our lives and every day is a new adventure and just watching the world through her eyes is the greatest gift and joy and blessing," Kristen said at the time, adding: "So we're just doing so great."
She later told Today: "I think when you struggle with infertility, when you really sit with the idea that you may never become a parent when it's all you've ever wanted in life, every single moment of motherhood is a gift and a joy."
Kristen's exciting announcement comes nine months after she left the Today family having spent three years manning the Saturday TODAY anchor desk alongside Peter Alexander.
During her final show, her colleagues delivered a special tribute highlighting her best moments from over the years. They also surprised Kristen by having her husband John, and daughter, Margot, walk onto the show's set.
Tearing up, Kristen said: "You've left me completely speechless. I want to say to our viewers, thank you all for joining us every Saturday for this show that we are so proud of."
She continued: "To the entire Weekend TODAY team, which is the A-team, the most amazing team in the world led by Matt Carluccio and Dave Scheier. I am so grateful for all of you for making this a family. We have been family every single Saturday," before noting: "To my actual family, John and Margot, the loves of my life."