Hoda Kotb has revealed she couldn’t afford to pay her bills while working as a correspondent for Dateline – because she was paid far less than her male colleagues.
The Today show host, 59, said she was the “lowest paid” during her tenure at the weekly news show, and said she would “kill herself” to work for a “fraction” of what her male co-stars earned during her on-screen debut.
She claimed asking for a pay rise is “one of the hardest things for women to do” as she praised Wheel of Fortune host Vanna for negotiating a new two-year contract, following a “stubborn” standoff with ABC bosses, on Today. with Hoda and Jenna.
“I was there for many, many years, doing local news and whatnot, a fraction of what my male co-anchors were doing, that’s for sure,” Hoda shared with co-host Jenna Bush Hager, 41 years old.
Hoda Kotb has claimed she was paid significantly less than her male colleagues while working at Dateline NBC.
The Today show host praised Wheel of Fortune’s Vanna White – seen with co-star Pat Sajak – for negotiating a raise after 18 years
“I actually never asked because…I didn’t want to wake up and say, ‘I’m killing myself and making a quarter of what that guy who came in hot and read the prompter makes.’
“So I think there’s a little bit of that. I think that’s asking.
She continued: “When I first came here, I think I was the lowest paid correspondent on Dateline. It was pretty clear that it was like that. And I remember thinking I can’t pay my bills here. I couldn’t pay my bills at the same time.
Hoda then turned her attention to Vanna while emphasizing the importance of asking for what you’re worth.
“I’m glad Vanna got her money,” she exclaimed. ‘It’s time. Come on, Vanna!
Hoda officially joined NBC News in April 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline NBC and all NBC News platforms.
During her tenure at the weekly news show, she worked as a correspondent alongside Dennis Murphy, 75, Keith Morrison, 76, and Josh Mankiewicz, 68.
In 2007, Hoda became the first host of Today’s first weekday fourth-hour morning show and was joined by Kathie Lee Gifford as co-host a year later.
Hoda pictured with her Dateline co-stars Chris Hansen (left), Josh Macikoiewicz, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy at the show’s 20th anniversary in 2011
She joined NBC News in April 1998 as a Dateline NBC correspondent.
Jenna took over from Kathie in April 2019 and has since led the program with Hoda.
In April of this year, Hoda celebrated her 25th anniversary on NBC and her co-stars paid tribute to her throughout the daytime programming.
“When I was first hired, I felt unworthy of the job and I remembered them saying, ‘Change your hair, change your clothes, change this, change that,'” she recalled during ‘a conversation with Jenna.
“Nothing was right with me. It felt like I was putting a circle in a square trying to fit.
It was confirmed Tuesday that Wheel of Fortune’s Vanna would remain on the show for seasons 2025 to 2026 alongside new host Ryan Seacrest, 48, who replaces longtime Pat Sajak, 76.
Her contract renewal – which would see her earn significantly more than her current salary of $3 million a year – came after it was revealed there had been some “hiccups” between her and the producers of the series during its contract negotiations.
“They both know they have plenty of time to do it and other discussions to have, but everyone wants something to get done and wouldn’t want Pat’s last year to be hampered by the news constant drama of contract disputes,” a source told DailyMail. com.
Hoda became the first host of Today’s first weekday fourth-hour morning show in 2007.
Hoda celebrated her 25th birthday on NBC in April and was surprised with a tribute
“They want to celebrate this year with little to no drama.”
The source added that there were some issues causing a slight stalemate in negotiations as this could be Vanna’s last Wheel of Fortune contract.
“Wheel wants to make the transition between Pat and Ryan seamless and having Vanna there would be wonderful to make it all happen,” the source continued.
“They want his next contract to be his last contract, so there’s a little more wiggle room to change things in a few years when they look for his replacement.”
They explained that Vanna still stands by her demand for a bigger salary, adding, “Vanna is actually OK with it, she just wants a huge salary that the show isn’t even willing to consider For now.
“It’s a question of who’s going to move first, but they both aren’t blinking yet. Vanna wants to leave on her terms and retire when she’s ready with a nice salary to end all this .
New host Ryan is delighted that long-time script specialist Vanna has renewed his contract and “can’t wait” to work alongside him.
In an interview with Today, he enthused: “This is very good news. Vanna has been a staple on this show and in our living rooms for many years.