Hoda Kotb Leaves the ‘Today’ Show Early to Take Her Kids to First Day of School: ‘See Ya Later!’
The broadcaster is mom to daughters Hope Catherine, 4, and Haley Joy, 6
Hoda Kotb had a busy morning on Wednesday.
The broadcaster kicked off the 7 a.m. ET hour of the Today show co-anchoring the news beside Savannah Guthrie. But just before 7:25 a.m., she ducked out of the show to take daughters Hope Catherine, 4, and Haley Joy, 6, to their first day of school.
"Hoda, you’re on the run — it’s the first day of school," Guthrie, 51, told Kotb after the two finished reading a tease of stories to come.
"I’m taking my kids to school!" Kotb said, seemingly asking producers, "Okay, can I leave right now?"
"Yes give them a hug for us," said Guthrie, as Kotb frantically left her chair and told fellow Today stars Craig Melvin and Al Roker, "Byeee! See ya later!"
Cheered Guthrie as Kotb left the set, "Go get ‘em, girls!"
Related: Hoda Kotb Admits Her Mother Buys All of Her Kids’ Clothes: ‘She Really Loves It’
Kotb is expected to be back in time on air for the 10 a.m. ET airing of Today with Hoda and Jenna, which she co-hosts with Jenna Bush Hager. In her absence, Melvin stepped into the Today co-anchor chair alongside Guthrie.
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On social media, Kotb marked her daughters milestone by posting a quote from noted scribe Dr. Seuss. "You're off to great places, today is your day!" read the post, lifted from the beloved children author's 1990 book, Oh, the Places You'll Go!. "Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!"
"Happy first day of school! Xo," wrote Kotb in her caption.
She had been preparing for the milestone the night before, sharing photos of her girls getting at-home haircuts from hairstylist Laura Bonanni Castorino, a department head at the Today show.
"Thank you to my pal @lbcastorino!" wrote Kotb. "The best back to school cuts! First day of school tomorrow! 📚 🎒."
Related: Hoda Kotb Says Her Daughter Called Her Out for Using a Sharp 'Tone of Voice'
Tuesday marked Kotb's return to Today after an end-of-summer vacation to Mexico.
Discussing the getaway on Today with Hoda & Jenna, Kotb gushed to Bush Hager, 41, about the restorative time away.
"I had a great trip with my kids," Kotb said. "Took them with my sister, we just went to Mexico for fun."
"And let me tell you something, it was magical. It was one of those vacations you take and you say to yourself, 'If they can all be like this...' — and this doesn't happen, we have our fair share of meltdowns."
"Everybody was happy, everybody was healthy, everybody was — it was one of those that you just said, 'Thank you.' We're all here, we all feel good," Kotb concluded.
Today airs weekdays (beginning at 7 a.m. ET) on NBC.
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