Hoda has admitted that she has fallen back into “old habits” with an ex, hinting that she may have dated after her breakup with her former fiancé, Joel Schiffman.
The Today host, 59, made the admission on Wednesday's show while chatting with her co-star Jenna Bush Hager, 42, about Cardi B hooking up with her estranged husband, Offset, in Miami on New Year's Eve.
Kotb shared that she could relate to their predicament and said she was once in a similar situation with an unnamed former flame.
“I've fallen back into old habits,” she told Bush Hager, apparently referring to Schiffman, her most recent public relationship.
Hoda Kotb, 59, admitted to falling back on “old habits” with an ex on the Today show Wednesday, seemingly referring to her former fiancé, Joel Schiffman
The host made the confession while chatting with her co-star Jenna Bush Hager about Cardi B hooking up with her estranged husband, Offset, in Miami on New Year's Eve
“And I regretted it after the old habit happened,” she added. 'It's like one of those things you say to yourself: “If you just had a little more willpower, everything would have been okay.”
Kotb and Schiffman, 65, goods together for eight years and engaged for two years when they announced their split on the Today show in January 2022.
The broadcast journalist said she could understand how Carbi B, 31, and Offset, 32, may have had a momentary lapse in judgment following their split.
'After you've been with someone for seven years, and you see him, and it's New Year's Eve, sometimes, if you've been broken up for a month or two or whatever it is… sometimes you forget what it was (bothering you ),' she said.
“There are times when you think, 'What was so bad about that?'”
Bush Hager stressed that Christmas and New Year's are “big pitfalls” that can make you sentimental and tempted to reach out to a former love.
“All the Hallmark movies look like a Christmas tree farmer and a librarian getting together, and you think, 'Maybe I should call my ex,'” she said.
'Just to say hi. Just a text. “Hey, I just wanted to wish you happy holidays.” That's all,” Kotb interjected.
Kotb (pictured with Schiffman) shared that she could relate to their predicament and said she was once in a similar situation with an unnamed former flame.
Kotb and Schiffman were together for eight years and engaged for two years when she announced their split on the Today show in January 2022. They share adopted daughters Haley and Hope.
“Don't do that,” Bush warned Hager, saying it could lead to an “Are you awake?” message and a regrettable appointment.
Cardi B confirmed her divorce from Offset in December after six months of marriage. They share two children, daughter Kulture, five, and son Wave, two.
Despite their recent Christmas outing with their children and New Year's Eve rendezvous, she has shut down speculation that they had reconciled.
Kotb also has two children with Schiffman, adopted daughters Haley Joy, six, and Hope Catherine, four.
The former couple met at a book signing in 2013, and hit it off immediately. They had been together for six years when he popped the question during a trip to Mexico in 2019.
The former couple has remained committed to co-parenting their daughters, and they wore matching rainbow costumes when they took their kids out for Halloween
Kotb had a Christmas stocking for Schiffman hanging in her New York City apartment over the holidays
Due to the pandemic, they had to postpone their destination wedding three times before calling off their engagement in early 2022.
Kotb insisted there was no bad blood between them and explained that their relationship had merely run its course.
“I don't regret a day, a minute, a second of our time together because it brought me here. “I have two wonderful children that I share with him,” she said.
“And it's without a doubt thanks to Joel that I have Haley and Hope. I think maybe I was too scared to do it alone. I hate to admit that, but it's true.'
Kotb and Schiffman have remained committed to co-parenting their daughters, and they were both present when their girls had their first day of school in September.
They wore matching rainbow costumes when they took their kids for Halloween, and Kotb had a Christmas stocking for Schiffman hanging in her New York City apartment over the holidays.