Hoda Kotb Playfully Chats with Lester Holt Following Nightly News Departure

Hoda Kotb believes Lester Holt should take inspiration from her after his upcoming departure from NBC Nightly News.

“Lester! Congratulations on an incredible journey on @nbcnightlynews!” Kotb, 60, captioned a selection of photos with her family and Holt, 65, via Instagram on Tuesday, February 25. “All that’s left now is a move to the suburbs … and a @toyota sienna minivan! Xx love you @lesterholtnbc. Xo.”

Kotb has been embracing suburban life since leaving her long-held position at Today last month. She revealed in March 2024 that she and her daughters, Haley, 8, and Hope, 5, were relocating outside New York City. By the time she returned her children to school that September, they had already settled into their new home. (She mentioned wanting to spend more quality time with her daughters—whom she shares with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman—as one of the primary reasons for her exit from Today.)

“I have an entirely new town and a brand new school with all kinds of fresh experiences,” Kotb shared on a September 2024 episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna. “On our first day of school, I carried a cup of coffee, wore sneakers, and walked my kids to school like regular folks. It was fantastic.”

A month later, Kotb expressed her excitement for her children to experience Halloween in the suburbs. “In the city, we used to go trick-or-treating at CVS, the dry cleaners, and [a nail salon].” she explained on Hoda & Jenna. “My kids thought trick-or-treating was just walking into a store and having the clerk drop some [candy] into their bags. … In our new town, [there are] big spiderwebs everywhere—all sorts of decorations.”

Kotb even wrapped up her last Today episode on January 10 by driving away from 30 Rockefeller Plaza with her kids in her minivan, proudly displaying a sign that read “Just Repotted.”

As Craig Melvin has stepped into Kotb’s role as co-anchor on Today, there has yet to be an announcement regarding Holt’s successor on Nightly News. Holt disclosed his departure after 15 years in a note to his colleagues on Monday, February 24.

“Thinking about my time with Nightly News and Dateline, it brings a smile to my face knowing I have anchored two of the most successful and iconic television news programs in history,” he wrote in his message, per NBC News. “As a 20-year-old radio reporter on the police beat seeking breaking news in San Francisco, I could never have envisioned my career path unfolding this way. What an incredible journey.”

After his exit from Nightly News early this summer, Holt will maintain his longstanding position as a full-time anchor on Dateline. Similarly, Kotb will stay within the NBC network as a special correspondent, making occasional appearances on Today and covering the next two Olympics.

“I want to be a supportive figure on a well-established team, coming in to fill a role,” Kotb mentioned to Page Six last month. “For the Today show, we discussed doing small segments every four to six weeks.” She also disclosed that she is in the “development phase” of creating a wellness app and business.