TV and Movies

[SeaMaiden]

Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman have ended their eight-year romance. The former couple, who got engaged in November 2019, are moving forward as friends and parents to their daughters, 4-year-old Haley and 2-year-old Hope. 

"People have written in and asked why I wasn't wearing my engagement ring," Kotb shared on Monday's Today With Hoda & Jenna. "Joel and I have had, we've had a lot of prayerful and really meaningful conversations over the holidays, and we decided that we're better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple." 

The 57-year-old morning show anchor shared that she and Schiffman are no longer a couple going into this new year.

"We decided that we are going to start this New Year and begin it on our new path, as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children and as friends," she said. "It's not like something happened. They say that sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason or a season or for a lifetime, and I feel like ours was meant to be there for a season."

Kotb admitted to struggling with the announcement, adding, "This is weird and awkward. I really was struggling with this. I was like, 'What do I say, how do I say it?' But I feel like often we share the joyous pieces of our life... and then the difficult part sometimes you want to forget about. You want to erase them, you don't want to share them because that's not part of a pretty picture. But I think a lot of women know what this feels like in this moment, to be changing course in life. And I feel really brave in this moment, I really do."

After revealing the status of her relationship with Schiffman, Kotb told her co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, "I feel relieved that I said it. I feel better."

As for Schiffman, Kotb has nothing but admiration for her ex. "He's a great guy. He's a very kind and loving person, and I feel privileged to have spent eight years with him," she shared. 

In October 2020, Kotb opened up to ET about considering adopting a third child with Schiffman."We wondered, you know, would our family be better with another child? Do we have enough love, do we have enough time, you know, will we be a better family unit? And the answer to all those questions seems to be 'Yes, we would be,'" she said at the time. 

When announcing her breakup, Kotb did not mention whether she and Schiffman still planned on adopting a third child together. 

[Goldengate8361]

Hoda is a class act. I wish her the best.

[SeaMaiden]

[BlueFinch]

That's sad to hear.  I thought their relationship and their family unit was something special.  Something forever.

Goes to show you, you never know what any relationship is really like. I hope they do work hard together for the girls, but it will be different now, even at best.  

[SeaMaiden]

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@BlueFinch wrote:

That's sad to hear.  I thought their relationship and their family unit was something special.  Something forever.

Goes to show you, you never know what any relationship is really like. I hope they do work hard together for the girls, but it will be different now, even at best.  

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@BlueFinch    I am sure they will make the split as easy for the two children as they can. 

[ThinkingOutLoud]

I was just wondering the other day if they ever got married. Guess this answers that.

[meallen616]

Disappointing, they seemed like it was forever!

[Puppy Lips]

I remembered them getting engaged but never heard about them getting married.  Like the other poster, I wondered about that too.  Hoda is not my favorite host or anchor or whatever she is.  But I think it would be hard to be with any high profile person who is quite busy.  She certainly puts in a lot of hours with her TV gigs.

[manny2]

It has to be brutal to go through this publicly.

[ValuSkr]

I wonder if they'll continue to live together.  How is child custody settled when a couple isn't married?