Hoda Kotb Calls Ex-Fiancé Joel Schiffman the ‘Best Dad’ as She Celebrates His Birthday with Photo of Their Daughters

NEED TO KNOW

• Hoda Kotb celebrated ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman’s birthday with photos of him and their daughters on Instagram

• The former couple, who split in 2021, continue to co-parent daughters Haley and Hope

• Kotb and Schiffman often spend holidays and special occasions together as a family

Hoda Kotb is celebrating the father of her girls on his birthday!

On Sunday, Mar. 22, the former Today host, 61, shared a few photos on her Instagram as she took a moment to celebrate her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman on his birthday. In one picture, Schiffman posed with his arms around their two daughters — Hope, 6, and Haley, 9 — as they sat in front of a plate of pigs in blankets.

A second photo showed what appeared to be a birthday party for one of their daughters. There were unicorn decorations, a sparkly birthday cake and pink streamers around the room as the family of four smiled together.

“Happy bday to the best DAD!!! 🎂,” Kotb wrote in her caption.

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Kotb and Schiffman got engaged in 2019 before later splitting in 2021. They welcomed their daughters Haley and Hope through adoption in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

This past Christmas, Kotb rang in the holiday with Schiffman and their girls. On Dec. 25, the mom of two shared a festive selfie on Instagram with her daughters Hope and Haley, along with her mom, sister and Schiffman. The group posed in matching green Christmas pajamas and Santa hats.

“Merry Christmas🎄❤️,” she captioned the post.

In November, Kotb shared scenes from her “Funday Sunday” with Schiffman and their daughters on Instagram. In the post, the proud mom showed off some of her Halloween decor, which had a subtle nod to the popular Gen Alpha slang term “6-7.” In one snap, Kotb, her daughters Hope and Haley, as well as Schiffman, were all smiles as they sat together for dinner.

“Funday Sunday!” the doting mom captioned the post.

When Kotb and Schiffman split in 2021, the journalist shared during an episode of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna that the two could continue to be loving co-parents to their daughters.

As she explained their decision to split during a candid conversation with co-host Jenna Bush Hager, Kotb said that she and Schiffman will continue to be “loving parents to our adorable, delightful children.”

“Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and meaningful conversations over the holidays and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we 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 adorable, delightful children, and as friends,” said Kotb.

“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,” she added.

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