Fans have questioned where Hoda Kotb is after she missed another episode of the Today show in an unexplained, week-long absence.
The news anchor was last seen on Today during an episode that aired on Monday, 20 February, according to Deadline. However, that episode was pre-recorded so her last live appearance on the program was Friday 17 February.
Since then, multiple hosts have stepped in to take Kotb’s spot, including Craig Melvin and Tom Llamas on Today‘s main show alongside Savannah Guthrie. On Today with Hoda and Jenna, journalists Willie Geist and Sheinelle Jones have filled in for Kotb alongside Jenna Bush Hager.
Amid her absence, the mother of two has still been active on social media and sharing several Instagram posts with meaningful quotes in them, including one that reads: “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.” and another that says: “She’s magic that one.”
In her first post since her absence from Today began, Kotb shared a drawing of a child in a pond as a horse is standing over him, along with a quote that referenced Charlie Mackesy’s book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. The image read: “One day you will see just how brave you have been.”
Fans have now gone to the comments of Kotb’s Instagram posts to wonder aloud about absence and ask her why she’s been missing from Today for so long.
“Seriously…what is going on with you? I know you have a right to privacy, but your truest fans have noticed your absence and these posts…worried about you,” one fan wrote in the comments of her most recent post.
“Hoda, can you PLEASE tell us what’s going on? This is brutal for your fans,” another wrote.
A third said: “Find it difficult to watch with you not being there.”
Other fans have wondered if her absence could be related to her family. Kotb is notably a mother of two daughters, Haley, six, and Hope, four, whom she shares with ex Joel Schiffman.
“Did you get another baby, Hoda? This is usually what happens when you go missing for 2 wks. Sure hope, it’s something good,” one wrote.
The Independent has contacted NBC and a representative for Kotb for comment.
As fans are in the midst of questioning Kotb’s absence, her co-host Guthrie left the Today broadcast early on Tuesday. When she didn’t appear on the air at 7:30am on 28 February, Jones stepped in and told viewers that Guthrie had Covid-19.
“By the way, 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. “It came back positive. So, as soon as we found out, she rushed home to rest up. So Savannah, we love you, wishing you a speedy recovery.”
