Kathie Lee Gifford Praises Former Co-Host Hoda Kotb, Says She Deserves An Emmy

Retired morning television star Kathie Lee Gifford has nothing but praise for how her former Today Show co-host Hoda Kotb has handled reporting throughout the pandemic. Gifford even told In the Room’s Jason Kennedy that she thinks Kotb surely deserves an Emmy award for all her hard work over the past month, according to E! News.

When the pandemic hit, the familiar faces of the Today Show went into quarantine with the rest of the nation. Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and more began working from home, some making makeshift studios out of their own residences. However, Kotb remained in the studio at Studio 1a at Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Gifford praised her friend and former colleague for how strong she’s been throughout this ordeal.

“I was FaceTiming with Hoda just the other morning around 6 in the morning; She hadn’t gone on air yet. She’s the only person in Studio 1A. And then she turns it around and it’s on Anthony, one of my favorite cameramen. And he had COVID really bad. And my heart just lept that he was good, he was fine, he was healthy and he was back at work.”

Gifford went on to say that she can hardly imagine the Today Show studio empty expect for Kotb. Prior to the pandemic, it was always a place of high energy and excitement. Even though Kotb has two young daughters at home, she still decided to take on the role of holding down the fort for the rest of the team. It is because of this that Gifford believes Kotb deserves recognition.

“Hoda decided to be there in the studio. And if they don’t give her a doggone Emmy from what she’s done…Nobody’s ever deserved it more than that woman deserves it this past six weeks,” she said.

Gifford knows Kotb’s work ethic better than most because she served as her co-host for 11 years for the lighthearted fourth hour of the Today Show. She left the show in April of 2019 to pursue her dream of a career in music but noted she still misses the Today Show and of course Kotb.

While Kotb has kept a brave face, being the sole anchor in the Today Show studio has not been easy on her. In March, she broke down in tears while on air after having an emotional interview with Drew Brees, as The Inquisitr previously reported. Brees had been telling her how hard the city of New Orleans had been hit by the pandemic.