Why did Hoda Kotb leave the Today show? What's next for her (other than)

Hoda Kotb shocked millions of viewers when she said goodbye to Todaybut her exit came as no surprise to some in the industry.

“It's such a tough job for your life,” an insider told NBC exclusively We weekly“I think the average person understands that morning television is not glamorous.”

Similar to Jennifer AnistonAlex Levy and other characters on AppleTV+ The morning showKotb, 60, wakes up at 3 a.m. every weekday to work – while also juggling her duties as a single mother of two children. “This industry is not for the faint of heart,” the insider added.

Makes this wake-up call even harder? Kotb also recently moved with her daughters Haley (7) and Hope (4) from Manhattan to a suburb of Westchester, New York, which she had previously Today. (Hoda shares her children with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.)

Related: Hosts of the “Today” show react to the surprise departure of Hoda Kotb

The news that Hoda Kotb is leaving the Today show is bittersweet for her co-hosts. “I just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 because I started thinking about this decade, like: What does this decade mean? What does it hold? What is it going to bring for me?” Kotb, (…)

“She's not going to be a mother until later,” the insider added. “She wants to focus on her children.”

The source noted that colleagues Today NBC hosts and executives knew of Kotb's decision to leave the show, but those outside that inner circle were kept in the dark.

“She's the person that everyone loves,” the insider said of Kotb. “Off camera, she's the same as she is on camera and I think that's the hardest thing because you can't say that about everyone.”

The source called Kotb’s decision to leave Today “wonderful for her,” noting that she is a “kind-hearted” person. “But it's a big blow,” the insider added.

Related: Hoda Kotb's cutest family photos through the years

Hoda Kotb has often gushed about how her loved ones have shaped her life – especially her daughters Haley and Hope. The Today host became a mother when she adopted her little ones with then-partner Joel Schiffman in 2017 and 2019 respectively. The former couple got engaged in 2019 after six years of dating (…)

Kotb tearfully said goodbye to Today during the Thursday, September 26, episode of the morning show. “I realized that at 60, it was time for me to turn a new leaf and try something new. This is the right time for me to move on,” she explained, noting that her daughters were the reason for her exit.

Kotb has been with NBC for over 30 years and Today in 2007. She became the host of the morning show in 2018 alongside Savannah Guthriewho remains in this position.

As for what’s next for Kotb, the source said she is “very focused on wellness” and is looking forward to a Today Wellness retreat coming soon. Host: TodayKotb is launching her first-ever Making Space wellness event on October 25 at Miraval Austin Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas. The three-day event will explore “Kotb's four pillars of personal growth: mind, body, emotions and spirit” and include “workshops, mindfulness exercises and exploration of well-being,” according to a press release.

“Mary (Shriver) guides her through all of this,” the insider said of his NBC News colleague Shriver, adding that the two are “best friends.”

But Kotb may not be saying goodbye to NBC for good. The insider added that Kotb might take a leaf out of Shriver's book and Today alum Katie Couric's book and come back as a contributor to write some pieces.

Although Kotb may have said in her post-Today The source noted that one thing is certain: she will enjoy spending time with her children.

Kotb stays on Today until 1 January 2025.