Hoda Kotb, 57, reveals she has SPLIT from fiancé Joel Schiffman, two years after he proposed - but says ex-couple will continue to 'lovingly' co-parent adopted daughters Haley and Hope
- The Today Show star announced on Monday morning that she has called off her engagement to long-time partner Joel, 63, after eight years together
- Hoda said she and Joel - who share daughters Hope, two, and Haley, four - are 'better as friends and parents than they are as an engaged couple'
- Hoda shared the news after her co-host Jenna Bush Hager pointed out she wasn't wearing her engagement ring
- The announcement comes seven months after the talk show host revealed that she and Joel were struggling to adopt a third baby together
- At the time, she said they were ready to expand their family once again but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the process was 'slower' than normal
- Joel, a financier, proposed in November 2019 during a romantic getaway in Mexico, but they had to cancel their wedding twice due to the pandemic
- The pair have been together for eight years; they first met in 2013 at a book signing and went public with their relationship two years later, in 2015
Hoda Kotb, 57, has split from her fiancé, Joel Schiffman, two years after he proposed, she revealed on Monday - while sharing that after 'a lot of prayer', the former couple has decided they are 'better as friends and parents' to their two adopted daughters.
The Today star made the announcement at the top of the fourth hour of the morning show, kicking off the final segment by telling viewers that she has called off her engagement to long-time partner Joel, 63, with whom she has been in a relationship for eight years.
Hoda said she and Joel - who share daughters Hope Catherine, two, and Haley Joy, four - are 'better as friends and parents than they are as an engaged couple', while insisting that there is no bad blood between the two of them.
'Joel and I have had a lot of prayer and meaningful conversations over the holidays and we decided that we are better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple,' the talk show host said.
Hoda Kotb, 57, revealed she has split from her fiancé, Joel Schiffman, two years after he proposed - but said they will continued to 'lovingly' co-parent their adopted daughters
The news comes two years after Joel popped the question to Hoda during a romantic getaway in Mexico. They are pictured right after he proposed
The talk show host said she and Joel - who share daughters Hope, two, and Haley, four - are 'better as friends and parents than they are as an engaged couple'
'So we decided we are going to start this new year on our new path as loving parents to our adorably delightful children and as friends.
'Its not like something happened. They say sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason, a season or a lifetime, this was for a season.'
Hoda, who brought it up after her co-host Jenna Bush Hager pointed out that she wasn't wearing her engagement ring, said it felt 'weird and awkward' to talk about it publicly, but wanted to focus on the 'joyous moments' they had together.
She continued: 'A lot of women know what this feels like to be changing course in life I feel really breathe in this moment which is a strange feeling to feel. Sometimes in your life, you have to say the truth.'
In 2020, Hoda revealed that she and Joel had desires to adopt a third child together exclusively to DailyMail.com.
'Sometimes I do think speaking something out loud sort of wills it into existence, weirdly,' she said of her wish to grow her family.
'You know, it’s almost like if you have a secret desire or dream you can even just whisper it. And if you do, there’s a chance you’re just giving it validity.
'And, [then] again, you don’t want to say something out loud because what if it doesn’t happen.
'We don’t know what will happen. I mean, we hope, we pray, we want it to, and we feel like we have enough love and room. You know, so far, our family is just getting better.'
However, in July 2021 - nine months later - she revealed that it was taking a lot longer than she expected. At the time, she claimed it was because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
'You know what's funny about the adoption stuff that's going on now, apparently it's really slow during this time, during COVID,' she said during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, before admitting: 'I thought that it would be a different game.'
Hoda went on to explain that she and Joel had been told by their adoption agency that the pandemic has prompted many people who might normally want to give up their babies to 'hold onto' them instead.
'They said that people who maybe normally would feel like it would be something they would want to do - have a child and then give it to someone to raise because they couldn't - are holding onto things because they don't have anything in that moment,' the news anchor shared. 'That's what I've heard from our agency, that everything is slow.'
However, Hoda insisted at the time that former the couple was not giving up hope of expanding their brood.
'They say wait wisely and just be. So we're just going to be,' she added.
Hoda, who shared the news on her show, Hoda & Jenna, said it felt 'weird and awkward' to talk about it publicly, but wanted to focus on the 'joyous moments' they had together
The news anchor brought it up after her co-host Jenna Bush Hager pointed out that she wasn't wearing her engagement ring
Joel, a financier, asked Hoda to marry him in November 2019 while they were enjoying a romantic getaway in Mexico
Joel, a financier, proposed to Hoda in November 2019 while they were enjoying a romantic getaway in Mexico, but they had to cancel their wedding twice due to the pandemic.
'We went for our usual vacation we ended up having a little dinner on the beach, and I was like... we were done with the dinner and I was eating the churros, like licking the bottom of the bowl, and he was like: "I have something else I'd like to say,"' she previously said of the moment Joel got down on his knee and popped the question.
Sparkler: After saying yes, Hoda showed off her stunning engagement ring on her show, revealing a radiant cut diamond that was surrounded by blue stones, likely sapphires
'He said some beautiful things and then he got down on one knee and he said, "Will you be my wife?" And I said, "Yes!"'
The couple was supposed to say their 'I dos' in a beachside ceremony in Mexico in August 2020, but like many people that year, they had to postpone their nuptials because of COVID-19.
They then moved the wedding to November 2020 - marking the one-year anniversary of their engagement - but that also had to be pushed back.
Hoda shared the news of her split from Joel just weeks after the former couple spent the holidays together with their two daughters, as well as the Today show host's mother, Sameha, and sister, Hala.
The pair first met in 2013 at a book signing. Joel attended as a fan, but right away, they hit it off.
'It was one of those events they ask us to speak at and it was pouring rain and it was a bunch of Wall Street guys. I didn't even want to go,' she previously recalled of the day they met.
The couple was supposed to say 'I do' in a beachside ceremony in Mexico in August 2020, but like many people that year, they had to postpone because of the COVID-19 pandemic
The pair (pictured with their kids and Hoda's mom, Sameha Kotb, on Halloween) then moved the wedding to November 2020, but that also had to be pushed back
Hoda shared the news of her split from Joel just weeks after the former couple spent the holidays together with their two daughters, as well Sameha, and sister, Hala
The pair first met in 2013 at a book signing and went public with their relationship in 2015
'They asked me to sign some books and one guy is like, "Can you sign it to my grandma?"
'And this guy walks up and he's like, "I'll take a book." And I was like, "Who do you want me to write it to - your girlfriend, your wife, your aunt?" And he goes, "Write it to me."'
Afterwards, they got in contact through someone who was running the event and eventually started dating. They went public with their relationship in 2015.
'It's almost been two years, so you know what we decided: Why not? Joel is out from the shadows!' she said on the show after they went public. 'I feel some relief. I talked to him this morning and he said, "Who cares?" Who cares!'
In February 2017, they adopted baby girl Haley Joy, after spending years believing that parenthood would never be on the cards for her.
Hoda, who was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 42 years old, came out of treatment unable to conceive.
In February 2017, they adopted baby girl Haley Joy. Two years later, they adopted another baby girl named Hope Catherine. Joel is pictured with Haley (left) and Hope (center)
The split comes seven months after Hoda revealed that she and Joel wanted to adopt a third baby together, but were struggling to find one because of the pandemic
She was originally nervous to bring up the topic of adoption to Joel, but resolved to have the emotional conversation nonetheless.
'I remember when I went to speak to Joel about it… my heart was pounding. I think I was afraid of the answer, to be honest. But I knew I had to say something, I had to ask,' she exclusively told DailyMail.com in 2018.
'When I went to speak to him, he could tell there was something up, and I think he was just thinking, "What is happening?"'
And when Hoda told him she wanted to pursue adoption with him, she made it clear that he should feel free to take as much time as he needed to ponder that possibility.
'Take a day, a month, a year, whatever you need to think about it, and you can just let me know when you're ready,' she said, recounting the conversation. 'And he just looked at me and said, "I don't need a day."'
Hoda was overwhelmed by Joel's immediate commitment.
'I could have died,' she continued. 'I was crying so hard, I soaked his T-shirt. It was incredible. And they have an amazing relationship.'
Two years later, they adopted another baby girl named Hope Catherine.
'We like the idea of Haley [having] a sibling because she has had such interesting circumstances to grow up. So it would be nice to be able to share it with somebody,' she told Entertainment Tonight, of their decision to have a second child.
Besides their apartment in Upper Manhattan, the former couple also share a four-bedroom waterfront property on Long Island. Amid the split, it is still unclear where they are going to live or raise their kids.
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