Hoda Kotb walked away from the comfort of the Today couch expecting a softer, slower chapter, but the aftershocks of her exit are still rattling the building. A year out, NBC insiders say the mood around her legacy, her new projects, and the people who had to keep the show running has grown noticeably tense. What was framed publicly as a warm goodbye is now, behind the scenes, a test of how far the network will go for one of its most recognizable faces.
Her departure did not just leave a hole in a beloved morning lineup, it also reshuffled power, expectations, and loyalties inside Studio 1A. As Kotb leans into newsletters, family time, and a carefully curated “new chapter,” some staffers are reportedly less charmed, arguing that her post-Today choices keep dragging the show into drama it thought it had left behind.
The long goodbye from ‘Today’
For viewers, Hoda Kotb’s exit from Today looked like a classic TV farewell, full of hugs, highlight reels, and talk of “new adventures.” She had spent 26 years at NBC, and by the time she officially stepped away in 2025, she was not just another anchor, she was the emotional center of the franchise. Coverage of her decision to leave made clear that Hoda Kotb wanted a life filled with more moments off camera, and less of the relentless grind that comes with a daily live broadcast.
Behind that polished sendoff, though, the exit was not as sudden as it looked. Reporting on her departure notes that Insiders had been talking about Hoda’s future well before any on-air announcement, and that those conversations were about more than just scheduling. Another look back at her tenure stresses that Hoda had become synonymous with the softer, human interest side of Today, which made replacing her both a creative and political minefield inside the show.
A ‘joyful reinvention’ that boomeranged back to NBC
Once she was out the door, Kotb tried to pivot quickly into a new lane. Her first big swing was a project meant to be a joyful reinvention, a chance to build something that did not fall under the Today umbrella. According to multiple accounts, that plan has not gone quite as smoothly as advertised. One detailed rundown of the fallout says that year after stepping, her new venture was still creating headaches for the very workplace she left behind.
Another report on the same project notes that Hoda Kotb’s post Today chapter, instead of floating off on its own, kept intersecting with NBC’s interests and expectations. A separate breakdown of the same tensions explains that what was supposed to be a clean break has, in practice, blurred lines about who can use which producers, which staffers, and which on-air talent, leaving some people inside 30 Rock feeling like they are still working for Hoda even though she is no longer on the payroll.
Why staffers say they are ‘fed up’
That is where the frustration really kicks in. Several insiders say the mood has shifted from nostalgic to annoyed, with some staffers privately venting that they are tired of dealing with the ripple effects of her choices. One account describes how people inside NBC feel that behind the scenes, Kotb’s team has pushed for access and favors that go beyond what NBC usually offers former stars. Another piece on the same theme says bluntly that NBC Pushback has started to build, with executives less willing to bend rules just to keep a former anchor happy.
Other reporting on the same friction uses even sharper language, saying that Post Today Exit, particularly when they feel they are being asked to juggle loyalty to the current show with loyalty to a brand that has technically moved on. A separate summary of the same complaints notes that Hoda Kotb’s post Today work has, in the eyes of some staffers, kept pulling the show into negotiations and scheduling drama that should have ended when she said goodbye on air.
On-air emotions vs off-air reality
Part of why the current tension feels so jarring is that the on-air goodbye was drenched in affection. During the televised sendoff, her Toda co-hosts reacted with visible shock and tears as she talked about realizing she had spent 26 years at Hodicopy’s longtime home, NBC, and tried to “be cool” while saying goodbye. The tone in the studio was clear: this was family, not just a workplace, and the people on that couch wanted viewers to know they were losing more than a colleague.
But once the cameras cut, the show still had to function. The anchor chair did not stay empty for long, and the network quickly moved to install a new face at the center of its morning identity. In a video shared with fans, Melvin called being named Hoda Kotb’s replacement a “pinch me moment,” and the Today family framed Craig Melvin’s promotion as a fresh chapter, even as they acknowledged the pressure of stepping into a role that Hoda had defined for years.
Hoda’s softer new life, and why it still stings
From Hoda Kotb’s side of the story, the post-Today era looks much gentler. She has been open about wanting to “ease” into 2026, focusing on her daughters, close friends, and a slower pace. In a newsletter update, Kotb described leaning into small rituals and gratitude as the anniversary of her exit approached. Another look at that update highlights how she celebrated the new year alongside her old colleagues, with See Today Stars Celebrate New Together With Their Families, a reminder that the personal relationships are still very real.
At the same time, that softer image does not erase the practical strain on the people still clocking in at 30 Rock. One retrospective on her career points out that Hoda’s legacy on Today is built on warmth and relatability, which makes it harder for staffers to publicly criticize the way her new ventures intersect with their jobs. Another detailed look at the internal conversations notes that What lies ahead for Hoda is a portfolio of projects that keep her in the public eye as one of America’s most trusted broadcasters, even as some of the people who helped build that trust quietly wish the professional ties were a little cleaner.
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