Hoda Kotb Was Absent From ‘Today Show’ Again Today, Following Recent Vacation and Family Health Scare

Hoda Kotb was noticeably absent from Friday’s (March 31) episode of The Today Show, though her co-host Savannah Guthrie offered viewers a brief explanation as to why she was missing.

“Hoda’s a bit under the weather,” Guthrie said. “Good to have Craig [Melvin] along with us,” referring to her co-anchor for the day.

Guthrie did not expand further, nor did she mention whether Kotb should be expected back for Monday’s (April 3) episode.

Kotb had just returned to the show after taking a week-long vacation from the program to spend time with her daughters during their spring break, according to previous reports. Today With Hoda and Jenna aired pre-recorded episodes during that week as Jenna Bush Hager was also taking a break.

This vacation also came soon after the daytime host took time off to be with her daughter Hope, 3, who was “in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week.”

Kotb was absent from The Today Show for two weeks, starting Feb. 20. On March 6, she returned to the broadcast and shared an update on her daughter.

“I’m so grateful she’s home. … I was waiting for that day to come. And we are watching her closely. I’m just so happy,” she said.

Inside sources recently told Us Weekly that Hoda took the week-long vacation “to spend as much time with her daughter as possible.”

According to the sources, “After the health scare, she realized what was most important to her and it didn’t feel right going into work when her daughter was home all day after their terrifying ordeal.”

The Today Show airs on weekdays at 7 a.m. ET on NBC.