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Hoda Kotb announces split from fiancé Joel Schiffman: 'We're better as friends'

By Megan Armstrong | Last updated Jan 31, 2022 4:08 PM ET

Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman ended their engagement and went their separate ways after eight years together.

Kotb shared the news during TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on Monday (Jan. 31):

"Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and really meaningful conversations over the holidays, and we decided that we're better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple," Kotb said. "So we decided that we are going to start this new year and begin it kind of on our new path as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children, and as friends."

The 57-year-old broadcast journalist and personality added: "It's not like something happened. They say sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason or a season or for a lifetime. And I feel like ours was meant to be there for a season."

Kotb and Schiffman, 63, announced their engagement in November 2019. They share daughters Haley, 4, and Hope, 2, whom were adopted in 2017 and '19, respectively.

Megan Armstrong

Megan Armstrong (@megankarmstrong) is a writer whose work has appeared in places such as Billboard, GQ, Esquire, Bleacher Report, Uproxx, and others. Megan has also produced various podcasts and hosted a daily radio show at Mizzou. She grew up obsessed with sports — impressing adults by memorizing NFL statistics as a kindergartner — and grew into an obsession with music

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