Inside Hoda Kotb & Kathie Lee Gifford's Long-Lived Friendship

Kathie Lee Gifford had plenty of reasons to leave "The Today Show;" she actually planned on resigning from her hosting duties much earlier than she did, but Gifford's strong friendship with Hoda Kotb played a significant part in delaying her exit. The dynamic duo met in 2008 when NBC recruited the former "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" host to lead another hour on "Today." She wasn't planning on doing the show for longer than a year, but she also wasn't planning on forging a lifelong friendship with Kotb.

In an interview on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Gifford shared that she'd never heard of Kotb when she was approached about doing a show with her. But she agreed to meet her for lunch. To her surprise, the pair ended up having a five-hour lunch. Gifford admitted the restaurant asked them to leave because they had to start their dinner shift. "We went to the ladies' room," Gifford recalled. "I said, 'Hoda, I don't want to come back to television; I think I've done the best TV I could ever do with Regis. But I know I can be friends with you for the rest of my life."

However, Gifford had her cake and ate it, too. She not only facilitated a lifelong bond with Kotb, but the team's segments on "Today" became a mega-hit. Despite Gifford's doubts about the morning program, it took off thanks to her and Kotb's natural chemistry. Gifford ended up doing "Today" 11 years longer than she anticipated, thanks to her love for Kotb.

Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford took a trip down memory lane during Gifford's last day on "Today" in 2019. While reminiscing, Kotb shared what their fateful meeting was like from her perspective. "[Kathie Lee] totally jumped into my life in a way that I had never experienced before," Kotb said. "She stepped into it, and I was transfixed by her when we met. I don't know if you've ever had that chemistry where you connect with someone like that." What made their friendship more special and peculiar to Kotb is that the chemistry didn't fizzle out. Instead, it maintained its intensity for the entirety of Gifford's "Today" run. 

Additionally, it seems the two managed to stay in touch even during Gifford's post-broadcast career. Kotb has kept fans updated about what's really happened to Gifford, letting viewers know in 2023 that her former co-host was wonderfully happy after relocating to Nashville. They also reunited at an NFL game in 2024, showing their friendship outlasted their onscreen partnership. Kotb also left "Today" in January 2025 — after making a staggering amount of money at NBC — potentially giving herself and Gifford even more time to spend together. After turning 60, the veteran news anchor, inspired by Gifford's example, decided to embrace the uncharted decade of her life and explore new creative challenges.

Gifford made a surprise appearance on Kotb's last "Today" episode, gushing about what Kotb meant to her. "Every time I was with Hoda, the one thing I had in common with you and with Regis (Philbin) — two very, very different people — I look forward every single day to being with you both," she said. It's clear they built a friendship to last a lifetime, just as Gifford predicted when they met.