It was a heartfelt and emotional moment on the Today show as Hoda Kotb, beloved host of the morning program, was taken by surprise during an interview with actor Jason Segel. Segel, known for his heartfelt performances, left Kotb teary-eyed with an unexpected and touching tribute.
Segel appeared on the NBC show to promote the latest season of his Apple TV+ series Shrinking. As the interview was wrapping up, Segel shared a deeply personal sentiment, catching Kotb off guard.
“And I’m going to miss you when you’re gone,” Segel told her, adding, “I just want you to know these interviews have been some of the best of my whole career so I’m really grateful to know you.”
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Kotb, visibly moved by his kind words, placed her hand over her chest and smiled as tears welled up. “Wow… thanks,” she said, her voice filled with emotion.
The touching moment didn’t go unnoticed by viewers or Kotb’s co-host, Savannah Guthrie. After the interview, Guthrie, who was preparing to introduce an upcoming segment with Eddie Redmayne, paused to acknowledge the emotional scene on set. “There’s a big hug going on over there,” she said, as the camera captured Kotb and Segel sharing a warm embrace.
The Today show later shared this heartfelt moment on Instagram, where fans flooded the comments with support for Kotb and admiration for Segel’s genuine appreciation of her.
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The emotional exchange comes in light of Kotb’s recent announcement that she will be stepping down from the Today show in 2025. In a memo to staffers last month, Kotb revealed her plans to leave the show, a decision that has been in the making for some time.
“I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while – Am I truly ready? But, my sixtieth birthday celebration on the Plaza felt like a shift. Like a massive, joyful YES, you are!” Kotb wrote in the memo. “I saw it all so clearly: my broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie.”
While Kotb’s departure is still more than a year away, moments like these show just how much she has touched the lives of her colleagues and the many stars who have sat across from her on the Today Show couch. Jason Segel’s words were a fitting tribute to a host who has made a lasting impact.”