Today’s Dylan Dreyer Shares Why Hoda Kotb’s Exit ‘Isn’t Bad News’

Dylan Dreyer‘s forecast for Hoda Kotb behind her it is sunny and bright Today Show exit announcement.

“I don’t think it’s bad news at all,” Dreyer, 43, said exclusively Us weekly while attending the People’s Choice Country Awards on Thursday, September 26th. “I’m not surprised that Hoda is living her life and doing what she wants to do. We are sad. I mean, I love working with her, but Hoda and I are neighbors too, so I’ll still see Hoda all the time.”

On Thursday morning, the 60-year-old Kotb made the tearful announcement Today that she would be leaving the morning show in early 2025. She hopes to spend more time with her family, including daughters Hayley, 7, and Hope, 5.

“I realized that at 60 it was time for me to turn the page and try something new,” she shared. “This is the right time for me to move on.”

Related: Hoda Kotb’s cutest family photos over the years

Hoda Kotb has often gushed about how her loved ones have shaped her life – especially her daughters Haley and Hope. The Today host became a mother when she adopted her little ones with her then-partner Joel Schiffman in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The former couple got engaged after six years of dating in 2019 (…)

Whether or not Kotb begins her day at Studio 1A in New York’s Rockefeller Plaza, Dreyer is confident that their friendship will continue beyond any cameras.

“Selfishly, I can still keep this friend that we all knew and loved,” Dreyer said Us at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. “But it’s a family. I think we feel it when someone leaves. But she will still be a part of our family and I applaud her for taking the chance and having the courage to do what she wants to do next and not on anyone else’s terms.”

In a statement to her colleagues, Kotb confirmed that she is not leaving NBC entirely. Instead, she will likely perform for special tasks.

“Happy and grateful, I plan to remain a part of the NBC family, the longest working relationship I have ever held close to my heart,” she wrote in a letter. “I’ll be there. How could I not? Family is family and you will always be a part of me.”

Before hosting the People’s Choice Country Awards, Dreyer paid tribute to Kotb online, praising her friend for being someone who comforts, loves and cares for her in all aspects of life.

“Beyond her talent as a presenter, she is the friend we all want and need,” she wrote via Instagram on Thursday. “I love you, Hoda, and I applaud you for trusting your gut and taking this next step in your life. You do everything with enthusiasm and I can’t wait to see your rise!

After receiving thousands of positive messages from friends and viewers, Kotb reflected on the love and support he poured out during the film Today “Morning Boost” segment of the show.

“It was the best thing in the world,” Kotb shared on Friday, September 27. “It’s everything I dreamed of. It was yesterday and last night were too perfect bookends.”

With reporting by Pam Windsor