Hoda Kotb‘s last day on TODAY was an emotional and celebratory “Hoda-bration” which included plenty of laughter, tears, and some surprise special guests.
“To be loved by Hoda is a pretty special place to be,” Savannah Guthrie said during the bittersweet sendoff. Scroll through below to see the celebrities who surprised Kotb during her final episode of TODAY.
Maria Shriver
Maria Shriver stopped by the TODAY studio to tell Kotb how brave she is for embarking on a new adventure.
“What you’re doing is so brave, and I think it’s such an inspiration to so many millions of people who also want to come alive in their lives” Shriver said o Kotb about her recently announced new venture into the wellness space. “I’m so excited for you. It’s scary and weird and hopeful and terrifying and all of the above all at the same time. And that’s OK because you’re made for this.”
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Simone Biles
It was GOATs only when the Olympic legend stopped by to say goodbye to Kotb, saying, “She’s like our Olympic mom.”
“I’ve been coming to the TODAY show for years, and sharing vulnerable stories which Hoda has given us such a great platform to be open and raw and to just feel like a safe space, so I appreciate all you’ve done for us to allow us to tell our stories,” Biles continued. “That’s how our relationship started… and now coming into adulthood we get to riff, we get to talk and chat, and it’s just been a beautiful thing that’s flourished.”
Kermit the Frog
“Hoda, you truly do make everyday as beautiful as a rainbow,” the Muppet icon told Kotb before his surprise performance of one of her favorite songs, “The Rainbow Connection.”
“That was extraordinary. I want to say thank you for that. I love you, I love that song, I love everything about it,” she said, while wiping away tears, after the emotional performance.
Oprah Winfrey
“I know what making this decision feels like. I will assure you that yes, you have made the right move, although it has been very hard to do,” Winfrey told Kotb in a video. “I know that Haley and Hope are going to benefit so much from this decision, and whatever you decide to do in your next chapter, in the next adventure, it will be the best decision for you and for your family.”
Keith Morrison
In a video message, Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison recalled meeting Kotb for the first time, when she asked for his help with narrating and being a storyteller. “As if she needed my help,” said Morrison in his video. “She was very kind, and she listened. And over the years I’ve seen her be kind to all kinds of people, and that makes me so very happy.”
Jimmy Fallon
The Tonight Show Host gifted Kotb with a sliced piece of fabric from the iconic NBC elevators. “I remember since day one you’ve been so fun, I go, ‘I’m going to get along with this person,'” he told her.
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathie Lee Gifford sat next to Kotb for 11 years, co-hosting TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda. On Kotb’s last day on TODAY, the two shared the stage once more, as Gifford surprised her during the final hour of the “Hoda-bration.”
“My problem is I fall in love, and I fell in love with Hoda, and I said, ‘I don’t want to leave her,'” Gifford said, recalling her instant connection with Kotb. “She’s sunshine in a bottle. Especially in our world today that’s so frightening and so dark… you took away fear. You proved to me that you’re a fearless person.”
No Gifford and Kotb reunion would be complete with a glass of wine, which the two shared during an emotional toast.
Gayle King
Gayle King gifted Kotb a “Hoda – Not Hoda” T-shirt, a cheeky nod to fans who frequently mix up the two TV personalities. “It is such a compliment to me, honestly, to be confused with you,” King told her.
Walker Hayes
The country music singer gave a surprise serenade of an unreleased song he wrote with Kotb, “Wednesdays.” Which Kotb explained is about loving the regular, non-eventful days of life. ““If you love your Wednesdays, you’ll love your life,” she said.
