Gone Rogue! Hoda & Kathie Lee Refuse To Return To ‘TODAY’ Amid Turmoil
March 9 2017, Updated 3:19 p.m. ET
They’re not gonna take it!
Both Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb are taking time off from their TODAY show post this month, and neither have plans to return early, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.
While Kotb, 52, is on maternity leave following the surprise adoption of infant daughter Haley Joy, Gifford, 63, is celebrating her 26-year-old son Cody’s graduation from his master's program in the United Kingdom for two weeks. TODAY producers are panicking as the “inexperienced” Jenna Bush Hager and guest cohosts handle the 10 am hour, and have begged the two women to come back — but neither headstrong cohost is willing to drop their personal plans.
“Kathie Lee booked her time off months ago, before Hoda told anyone she was adopting. She isn’t going to cut her vacation short,” a show insider told RadarOnline.com.
Meanwhile, Kotb, 52, and her daughter are cherishing the baby’s first weeks home.
“She’s not going to leave her apartment without the baby,” the source said.
Neither Kotb nor Gifford feel an ounce of guilt over her decision.
“Maybe producers should call Megyn Kelly,” the source quipped of NBC’s shocking new hire. “These two have given everything to the show, and now they don’t even know if Megyn is going to replace them. They are sick of being treated this way, and are finally putting themselves first.”
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