Hoda Kotb may be hosting Today's fourth hour with Jenna Bush Hager, but she hasn't forgotten about her relationship with former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford.
During an August 17 taping of the NBC morning show, Hoda, Sheinelle Jones, Craig Melvin, and Al Roker celebrated their former colleague as Gifford marked her 70th birthday. As the quartet saw family photos and discussed the impact Gifford made while working alongside them, Kotb chose to disclose how she was doing four years after she exited Today after 11 years in 2019.
"When [Kathie] chose to leave here and go to Nashville, she's been doing nothing but creating [and] making new memories," she explained. "I think she's happier than she's ever been."
What's more, Kotb didn't stop congratulating her comrade on the air. Just a day earlier, she went on Instagram to deliver a short and sweet message about the milestone Gifford reached in her life. "Happy Birthday to the one who brings the FUN!!!" she wrote on August 16. "I love [you] @kathielgifford."
When fans saw the Making Space podcast host publicly acknowledge her one-time co-star's special occasion online, they immediately rushed to send well-wishes in the comments.
"Happy Birthday Kathie Lee!!! Love seeing this picture of you two together! ❤️💐🎂🌷🎈💕 Have a beautiful day!!!! 💕," one person wrote on Instagram. "Happy Birthday KLG! 🎉🎂 Love you ladies together ❤️," another chimed in. "Happy Birthday [Kathie], I miss you two together 💕🎉💕," a different follower reminisced.
As viewers of Today may remember, Gifford stepped away from the show so she could experience life out of the spotlight. After making Nashville her permanent home, she later spoke out about the reason behind the big move.
"I have a whole community of people here that share my faith," she told People in August 2022. "It's been good for my soul, let me tell you ... They also let me be just a person down here too," Gifford says. "It's so wonderful to be a private person for change."
As the entertainment and news editorial assistant for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
