Hoda Kotb Is Home Sick with the Flu, Will Be off From Today for Several Days
Between pneumonia, a detached retina and vocal cord surgery, the hosts of the Today show have had a tough year — and Hoda Kotb is the latest to get sick.
Her co-host, Savannah Guthrie, told viewers on Monday morning that Kotb, 55, is home sick with the flu, and will have to miss several days of the show.
“If you’re missing Hoda, so are we. Guess what, she’s got the flu. And we think she’ll be out ’til probably mid week, maybe longer. So we’re sending her our best wishes this morning,” Guthrie, 48, said.
And, Guthrie added: “She did get the flu shot for those who are wondering.”
Kotb and the rest of the Today hosts just returned from Orlando, Florida, where they hosted a special edition of the morning show to celebrate their new Today Café in Universal Orlando Resort, with recipes selected by weatherman Al Roker.
Before Kotb was hit by the flu, Guthrie had spent the last few months dealing with various health issues. She first had pneumonia in September, and said it was sickest she’d been in her “entire life.”
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A few months later, in December, she had to undergo eye surgery to reattach her retina after her 3-year-old son Charley accidentally hit her in the eye with a toy train. Guthrie had to take extensive time off from the show for her recovery, which required sitting facedown for much of the 1 to 3 weeks after surgery.
And most recently, co-host Sheinelle Jones needed vocal cord surgery to remove a polyp that was limiting her ability to talk. The mom of three had the surgery on Feb. 24, and said she “started crying” soon after waking up from the successful procedure.
RELATED: Today’s Sheinelle Jones Announces Vocal Surgery That Will Leave Her Unable to Speak for 2 Weeks
“Honestly, nothing was wrong — I think it was just a release … this has been a long time coming and I’ve struggled off and on for so long…. I also felt like I was wrapped in prayers …. it felt like such a powerful moment,” she said one day after surgery.
