‘Today’ Show Fans Rally Around Hoda Kotb After She and Joel Schiffman Break Up
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Today fans are offering Hoda Kotb their support right now.
On Monday, the NBC star opened Today show’s fourth hour by addressing why she hasn’t been wearing her engagement ring. In November 2019, Hoda announced that she and her boyfriend, Joel Schiffman, were engaged after dating for six years. The couple, who first got together in the summer of 2013, hoped to be married “sooner than later.” But due to the coronavirus pandemic, their wedding date was pushed back more than once. Now, Hoda has revealed that she and Joel have called off their engagement and are no longer together.
“Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and really meaningful conversations over the holidays, and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple,” Hoda said to Today cohost Jenna Bush Hager.
Hoda continued: “We decided that we are going to start this new year and begin it kind of on our new path as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children, and as friends. It’s not like something happened. They say sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason or a season or for a lifetime. And I feel like ours was meant to be there for a season.”
She admitted that although it felt weird and awkward sharing this news, she also believed that it was necessary. “I feel like often we share the joyous pieces of our lives…and the difficult parts sometimes [we] just want to forget about,” Hoda said. “But I think a lot of women know what this feels like in this moment to be changing course in life and I feel really brave in this moment….Sometimes in your life you just have to say the truth.”
After hearing the Today coanchor open up about what’s going on in her personal life, fans immediately took to social media to share heartfelt messages. “We support you no matter what and will always be with you,” one person wrote on Instagram. “I’m so sorry things didn’t work out for you and Joel. Thank you for your honesty about such a private matter. You are brave and will get through this. You are teaching your girls how to be a good mom and a good partner. ❤️,” a different fan said. “I am so sad to hear this news Hoda but yet I am happy for you… you are so brave & spoke & acted on your truth. Happiness to you Joel & the kids. The best is yet to come! You are amazing, strong, smart and you are beautiful!” a follower commented on Twitter.
Hoda first met Joel at an event she spoke at for Wall Street professionals. After dating for two years, the couple went public with their relationship in 2015 after the Daily Mail published photos of them together. Around this time, Hoda and Joel moved in together, and they began discussing having a family through adoption. In 2017, Hoda and Joel welcomed their first child, a daughter named Haley Joy. Their family grew again with the addition of a second daughter named Hope Catherine in 2019. Through the years, Hoda has shared many sweet family moments with fans on Instagram. Although Joel may no longer be in the pictures, the two will be coparenting their kids together behind the scenes.
“He’s a great guy. He’s a very kind and loving person and I feel privileged to have spent eight years with him. We’re both good and we’re both kind of going on our way on our path, and we’ll be good parents to those two lovely kids.”
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