Hoda Kotb’s ‘Today’ Co-Hosts Shower Her with Love on Her 59th Birthday: ‘Phenomenal Light of a Human’

Hoda Kotb is 59!

On Wednesday, the Today anchor celebrated her birthday with a bang, receiving love from her TV family across social media.

Kicking off the tributes was her fourth-hour co-host Jenna Bush Hager, who shared a pair of photos featuring the two at work together. She accompanied the pics with a sweet message that read: “Happiest birthday to @hodakotb! I love sitting next to you (or standing in full snow gear!) You make my life more joyful every, single day! ❤️❤️.”

Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Following Hager, 41, was Al Roker, who shared multiple photos of the duo together over the years, one of which featured the pair sharing a snack on air. “Wish I could share some #birthdaycake with my dearest @hodakotb but I wish you all the best today,” he captioned the post.

Savannah Guthrie also celebrated Kotb with a heartfelt tribute of her own. Alongside a photo of the pair at work together, she wrote: “I think this was one of the first time we sat at this desk together – 2012? 2013?”

“It was magic then and it is magic now,” she continued. “So grateful to spend every morning with this phenomenal light of a human. Always learning, always seeking – happy birthday dearest @hodakotb.”

On a previous episode of Today, Kotb told Hager about her birthday plans, which included a big family reunion with her mom, siblings, nieces, and daughters.

“I have the same birthday every year,” the I Really Needed This Today author said. “I love my birthday. We don’t do anything, we have balloons and we have a cake, and that’s it.”

After revealing those plans, Bush Hager noted that her co-host also gets “to be surrounded by those you love.” 

While Kotb edges closer to her 60s, her main focus remains her two daughters, Haley Joe, 6 and Hope Catherine, 4. Through her tenure on Today, Kotb has opened up about her motherhood journey. 

Hoda Kotb.

Hoda Kotb Shares Update on Daughter Hope Five Months After Her ICU Stay: She’s ‘On the Mend’

Recently, Kotb got candid about her daughter Hope’s health struggles, having stayed in the ICU and then the hospital for a little over a week earlier this year.

“When your child is ill, the amount of gratitude you can have for people who helped you out,” Kotb said on an episode of Today. “So I’m grateful for the doctors at Weill Cornell who were amazing and the nurses. And I’m grateful for my family and I’m grateful to friends like you who were there every single day. So I want to say thank you for that. I love you.”

Inspired by her daughter’s experience, Kotb announced her second children’s book, Hope Is A Rainbow. Her first – 2018’s I’ve Loved You Since Forever – was inspired by her older daughter Haley. 

“A rainbow to me represents something that you can’t quite touch, but it’s magical and amazing,” Kotb explained on an episode of Today. “So when I thought about how I carry Hope in my heart, I realized, ‘She IS a rainbow.’ She’s this beautiful, magical, incredible child. It just got me thinking about all the things where kids find magic and hope, and this book is full of that.”

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Hoda Kotb and the ‘Today’ crew.

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

When not doting over her kids, Kotb can be found rocking out with the likes of country star Shania Twain. During Twain’s performance at New York’s Madison Square Garden in July, Kotb came on stage to gift the superstar a double diamond platinum record of her 1997 breakthrough album Come on Over, which is now the highest-selling album by a female artist in country-music history.

Hoda Kotb Joins Shania Twain at Madison Square Garden for ‘You’re Still the One’ Performance — Watch

The Today anchor then stuck around, belting out a duet of Twain’s crossover hit single, “You’re Still the One.” 

“Hoda, after all these years of knowing you, we’re finally going to sing together,” Twain reminisced before the two sang the song’s chorus.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education