Hoda Kotb makes brief pre-taped appearance on ‘Today’ amid ‘family health matter’

Amid her two-week absence due to a “family health matter,” Hoda Kotb made a brief appearance on Friday’s episode of the “Today” show in a pre-taped interview.

Al Roker, Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones and Carson Daly — who have all been filling in for the Kotb, 58 — introduced a clip of her “recently” filmed interview with Chloe Lattanzi and John Easterling, daughter and husband of the late Olivia Newton-John.

In the interview, which first aired on Kotb’s final live broadcast on Feb. 17, the broadcaster discussed the actress’ “beautiful legacy” with Lattanzi and Easterling.

“My mom is a pioneer, a rebel in a good way. A healer,” Lattanzi, 37, said during the emotional interview discussing Newton-John’s sudden death on Aug. 8, 2022.

A screenshot of Hoda Kotb interviewing Olivia Newton-John's family — Hoda Kotb briefly appeared in a pre-taped interview on Friday’s episode of the “Today” show amid her two-week absence handling a “family health matter.”

A screenshot of Chloe Lattanzi and John Easterling talking on the — Both Chloe Lattanzi and John Easterling grew emotional during their interview with Kotb.

A photo of Al Roker, Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones and Carson Daly talking on the — Jones – who’s been one of the anchors filling in for Kotb over the last two weeks – shared the clip on Friday’s broadcast.

The interview marked the first time that Kotb has physically been on TV screens since Feb. 20 — during a pre-taped show for “Today with Hoda & Jenna.”

Amid growing concern from fans over Kotb’s two-week absence, fellow “Today” show anchors revealed that Kotb had been gone due to a “family health matter.”

“We know a lot of you have been wondering how she’s doing. We can tell you that Hoda is OK, [but] she’s got a family health matter that she’s been dealing with,” Melvin said on Wednesday’s live broadcast.

A photo of Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones and Al Roker talking on the — The “Today” show announced that Kotb has been gone because of a “family health matter.”

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Melvin teased that Kotb will be “back here at the desk very, very soon.”

“We love you both,” Roker concluded as he blew a kiss at the camera.

Kotb’s “Today with Hoda & Jenna” co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, also addressed her friend’s leave.

A screenshot of WIllie Geist and Jenna Bush Hager talking on the — Jenna Bush Hager and Willie Geist shared similar sentiments on Wednesday’s episode of “Today with Hoda & Jenna.”

“Willie [Geist] is in for Hoda, and we just want to let you all know that we heard you, and Hoda is OK,” Bush Hager told viewers on Wednesday. “She just has a family health matter she is dealing with.”

Bush Hager, 41, and Geist, 47 — who has been filling in for Kotb along with Jones — both added that they “love” and “adore” Kotb and can’t wait for her return “very, very soon.”

A photo of Hoda Kotb posing for a photo with her two children — The mom of two has not gone into further detail over the mysterious “family health matter.”

In the midst of Kotb’s absence, her “Today” co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, also fled the show mid-broadcast after discovering she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Guthrie — who has given up Instagram for Lent — has not shared when she’ll be returning to the NBC morning show.

Kotb has also not addressed her absence or when she’ll be back at the anchor desk.

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