Hoda Kotb's Decision To Leave TODAY Was Reportedly Messier Than We Thought

Hoda Kotb has been a staple on the "Today" show for almost two decades, but there have been signs of her exit coming from a mile away. "I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new. I remembered standing outside looking at these beautiful bunch of people with these gorgeous signs, and I thought, 'This is what the top of the wave feels like for me.' And I thought it can't get better, and I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on," she revealed on September 26, per Today. Kotb added that the decision to spend more time with her young kids also factored into her leaving, but we've learned that there's another reason — and it all comes down to money.

The reason for Kotb's exit may have had to do with a drop in her salary. "This is the age of the great resetting of TV news contracts. Everyone is getting their pay cut or their jobs eliminated," a source shared with Puck. According to the outlet, Kotb currently earns roughly $20 million per year, and the network couldn't keep up with the pay amid the show's drop in ratings. The network may have been okay with letting her go, but there's one host that execs are desperately trying to hold onto amid Kotb's looming departure, and they're not ready for another big shakeup.

With Hoda Kotb's decision to leave the "Today Show," NBC is now afraid Savannah Guthrie will follow suit. "Savannah's contract is coming up next year, and they want to keep her and will be doing anything they can to continue their relationship with Savannah as a means of not overhauling everything," an insider told the Daily Mail. The execs are already looking to replace Kotb with on-air personalities from within. "Craig Melvin and Laura Jarrett are both on top of the list to be the heir apparent at this time," the source shared.

Actor Mariska Hargitay also threw her name into the hat, per Us Weekly. "I love you so much, and I'm so proud and inspired by you and was excited to see you today ... And so, when you made your decision, I said, 'Yes!' I said, 'Yes!' And my gosh, I grieve for all of us in this country who's gonna miss you," she gushed during her October 1 appearance. She then cheekily told Kotb, "[I'm] happy to step in any time." While fans will surely miss Kotb's peppy persona when she leaves, it looks like there's no shortage of replacements willing to take over.