Hoda Kotb Absent From ‘Today’ Due To Family Health Matter

Today co-host Hoda Kotb has been absent from the show due to a “family health matter that she has been dealing with,” co-host Craig Melvin said on the show on Wednesday.

Kotb made her last live appearance on the show on Feb. 17. She also appeared on Feb. 20 on the fourth hour of Today with Jenna Bush Hager, but that was pre-recorded to air on Presidents Day.

On Tuesday, co-host Savannah Guthrie also left during the show when she tested positive for Covid.

Craig Melvin said, “She is at home after a positive Covid test yesterday. We are wishing our friend a speedy recovery. As for Hoda — we know a lot of you have been wondering how she is doing. We can tell you that Hoda is OK. She has got a family health matter that she has been dealing with, so we look forward to seeing Hoda and Savannah back here at the desk very, very soon.”

“We love you both,” Al Roker said.

This was the first time the show had addressed her absence, as she had posted messages on her Instagram account, but they did not elaborate on her absence. “Choose hope,” read a message she posted on Monday. Followers expressed concerns about why she was missing from the show.

Guthrie had been on the show on Tuesday, but left abruptly after testing positive.

Sheinelle Jones, co-host of Today‘s third hour, provided an on-air update at the end of the show’s 8 a.m. hour, saying, “It has been an interesting morning for us. As we said, Savannah left early, she wasn’t feeling great, so she took a Covid test,” Jones said.

Jones continued, “It came back positive. So of course as soon as we found out, she rushed home to rest up. So Savannah, we love you, wishing you a speedy recovery.”