By Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times
Kathie Lee Gifford, a fixture on daytime TV since the 1980s, is leaving the co-host chair on the fourth hour of NBC’s “Today.”
Gifford, 65, made the announcement Tuesday alongside co-host Hoda Kotb. The two have shared the 10 a.m. hour of “Today” since 2008. Gifford will work through the show’s 11th anniversary in April.
NBC News President Noah Oppenheim said in a memo to staff that Gifford was leaving to focus on her film, music and book projects.
“When we first launched this incredible hour, no one could have predicted the lightning (or rather, wine) in a bottle that is Hoda & Kathie Lee,” Oppenheim wrote. “Whether in studio or on one of their many road trips, they have delighted our audience with their distinct brand of fun, friendship and adventure.”
Gifford made a major comeback when NBC News expanded “Today” to a fourth hour to capitalize on its massive popularity at the time and paired her with Kotb.
The singer-actress became a TV star on the syndicated hit “Live With Regis and Kathie Lee” from 1988 to 2000.
Gifford became a polarizing figure as she was accused of using sweatshop labor in the offshore factories that manufactured her clothing line. She also suffered through public humiliation when the tabloid press reported on her husband Frank Gifford’s infidelity.
But audiences welcomed her back when she was paired with Kotb and turned the “Today” fourth hour into a freewheeling chat fest, often over glasses of wine.
“The reason I stayed 11 years is because I love everybody so much,” Gifford said as she made the announcement.
Kotb wept. “The minute you stepped into my life with both feet, everything changed,” Kotb said.
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