Hoda Kotb reveals how 'epiphany' changed her life

Bang Showbiz on Sep 23, 2025

Published in Women

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Hoda Kotb thinks Joel Schiffman wasn't the "right" partner for her - even though she loves him.

The 61-year-old broadcaster split from her former fiance in 2022, and although she still has love for him, Hoda doesn't regret her decision.

Hoda - who has daughters Haley, eight, and Hope, six, with Joel - said on the Today show: "I went to this retreat and had kind of an epiphany about my life and I was realising that you can love someone - like I loved him very much, and still do to this day - but that person isn't right for you in that moment. And you can say to yourself, 'Wow, I'm ready to try to get other buckets of mine filled.'"

Hoda and Joel have managed to maintain a close, friendly relationship since their split.

She said: "I was too busy sprinting. Now I can feel my life slowing down a little, like I feel more of a rhythm. I have barbecues in the backyard, and Joel comes. We invite neighbours over. We have kids running around. There's a dog."

Meanwhile, Hoda recently revealed that she's using her 60s to "begin again".

The broadcaster left her role on the Today show earlier this year, and Hoda is now focusing her efforts on her wellness app and book.

Reflecting on her entrepreneurship journey, Hoda told Forbes anchor Maggie McGrath: "I'm a beginner all over again.

"It is like in, you know, when I started at NBC, I didn't know what I was doing and I felt like a kid. I feel like that all over again.

"I think my 60s -- I'm 61 -- are like my 'begin again' era. Like learn new things, era. So I'm a cheerleader by nature. I'm like, 'You did it. Go girl.' Like that's what I want to do."

Hoda's latest venture has also taught her some new "lessons".

She explained: "I do realise that in a business you have to have meaningful, important, straightforward conversations that sometimes are painful.

"You have to be able to tell somebody the truth. And that was one of my big, big lessons because I felt like my role was to lead from the back of the boat and cheer. But now I realise that sometimes you have to have really good, important conversations."