Single Hoda Kotb, 59, reveals she does NOT use dating apps because she prefers being set up

By Kirsty Mccormack, Senior Entertainment Reporter For Dailymail.Com 16:43 04 Jul 2024, updated 16:44 04 Jul 2024

Today host Hoda Kotb has admitted she is currently 'in the process' of being set up with a new man because she prefers not to use dating apps.

During an appearance on Busy Philipps' talk show Busy This Week, the mother-of-two - who recently clashed with a dating expert - got very candid about her personal life and said she often asks herself: 'What do I have room for?' when it comes to meeting new men.

When Busy, 45, asked the TV star if she goes online to look for romantic connections, Hoda, 59, replied: 'No I don't do an app. I have met a couple of people through...' as Busy suggested: 'Friends?' and Hoda confirmed: 'Yeah.'

When Busy commented: 'Set ups are the best,' Hoda agreed before divulging: 'One person I happened to meet on the show and she said, "I have this guy, he's really sweet, he might be the right one for you. Would you like me to make an introduction?" And she did, that's in process right now.'

The NBC presenter then revealed: 'Also, you know what question I ask myself? This is weird, but I thought about it... it's like "what do I actually have room for right now in this moment?"

'Sometimes I'm like, "I want a relationship, wouldn't it be great", and then I think, "okay let me pause for a second, what do I have room for? Do I have room for Friday night? Maybe that's what I have room for in this moment. Maybe it's lunch during the week and once a week"... and that's an okay thing.

'But I think sometimes we think, "I want, I need.." and then I'm like, "slow down man, what's the gap? What do I want?" and I want someone who's in the addition business and not in the subtraction... sometimes you meet someone and you're like, "how can you help me?"' Hoda added.

Moving her arms forward, she then said: 'A relationship should not all be going this way, but sometimes... I mean I'm a fixer, someone who wants to help.'

Referring to her 60th birthday, which is on August 9, Hoda told Busy: 'It gets greater later, it does,' and admitted she is 'excited' about her upcoming big day.

She then opened up about her two daughters, Haley, seven, and Hope, five, whom she shares with former fiancé Joel Schiffman.

When Busy asked how they were, Hoda said that they were 'great,' and went on to describe her youngest daughter Hope as 'a rainbow.'

Hoda explained: 'She walks around in a world that I can't even identify, and she's also got a very intuitive part of her, like sometimes when we're laying in bed... she was looking around the other day and I go, "what are you looking at honey?" and she goes, "angels."

'I think that something about her spirit is so light and fresh and real and optimistic and hopeful and funny, and that's her, Hope is a rainbow, without question,' Hoda added, referring to the name of her most recent children's book.

Back in March, Hoda broke down in tears live on Today as she recalled being in hospital with her daughter Hope last year amid the youngster's ICU 'health scare'.

Speaking to her co-host Jenna Bush Hager, she said: 'This morning I was writing a note. I tuck away letters that I give to my children around their birthday time, I write a letter that describes what they are like at that particular age.

'And I was writing one for Hope. I was just talking about how incredible and resilient she is and what she has overcome in the past year and how she is braver than she ever imagined. When I'm describing her, I said there is a song that we love, and it's called I am light, it's a beautiful song.' 

Hoda continued: 'And whenever we get into a place that we feel unsure, like when Hope was sick, and there was a lot of commotion going on around her in the hospital, I played that.

'I held that next to her ear and it played and it drowned out all the sounds. In that moment we were all safe. I was looking at her, trying to make it quiet and make her safe and calm.

'I remembered thinking to myself, "this song, this song..." and now when Hope goes, "can we play our song?" Our song is I am light,' she added, as a snippet of the song played out and Hoda's eyes filled with tears.