Hoda Kotb calls ex-fiance 'the best dad'
Hoda Kotb and her ex-fiance Joel Schiffman announced their split in January 2022.
Hoda Kotb has declared her ex-fiance Joel Schiffman as "the best dad".
The couple - who adopted daughters Haley, eight, and Hope, six, in 2017 and 2019, respectively - have maintained a close, friendly relationship since their split in 2022, and Hoda proved that again on Sunday (22.03.26) with a sweet Instagram upload of the foursome celebrating his birthday.
She shared a joyous shot of Joel with his arms around their children, as well as a picture of the family smiling together in front of the birthday cake against a backdrop of unicorn decorations and pink streamers with the caption: "Happy bday to the best DAD!!! (sic)"
Hoda, 61, co-anchor and financier Joel, 68, got engaged in November 2019 after six years of dating, and they were forced to delay their wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
After multiple push-backs for their nuptials, Joel and the Today show co-anchor ended their relationship in January 2022, with the latter telling viewers on the NBC morning news show at the time: "We’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple."
However, the former couple co-parent Haley and Hope, with them having recently celebrated Christmas and enjoyed a "Funday Sunday" day as a family.
In September 2025, Hoda said that she and Joel "will co-parent in a beautiful way".
The broadcaster added to TODAY.COM: "But I also think our ‘us’ is more of a, like, we’re dear friends now. And that’s beautiful, and it’s enjoyable, and it feels right.
"We were laughing the other day just in hysterics, and I feel like this is the right relationship for us to have.
"I loved Joel then, and I love Joel now. I just had to remind myself that it was a different kind of love."
And Haley and Hope know how much their parents care for each other.
Hoda said: "I think for co-parenting, you just have to be honest about it. Kids catch pretending. They know that Joel and I care so much for each other, and they also know that we love them dearly.
[It's important to have time that's not] his time, my time. It’s our time. That’s how we do it.
"He’ll give the girls a kiss. He says, 'See you in the morning.' He’ll come back in the morning … I think they understand your vibe.
"I really adore Joel, and they know it. I’m not pretending, I’m not faking it. So, once they see that, they go, 'Ah, OK. This is good. This is good for us.'"
