{"id":2496640,"date":"2026-07-10T16:02:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T16:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2496640"},"modified":"2026-07-10T16:02:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T16:02:55","slug":"former-today-host-hoda-kotb-breaks-down-dating-preferences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/former-today-host-hoda-kotb-breaks-down-dating-preferences\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Today Host Hoda Kotb Breaks Down Dating Preferences"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hoda Kotb <\/b><\/a>knows what she wants in a future partner \u2014 and chivalry undoubtedly comes first.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up my whole life not ever seeing my mother open a door. Not a car door, not a front door, no door,\u201d Kotb, 61, revealed on the Thursday, July 9, episode of her \u201cJoy Rides\u201d YouTube<\/span><\/a> miniseries. \u201cMy dad went around, opened the door every single time, and so I thought it was normal. I thought that\u2019s what people did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following her father\u2019s lead, Kotb has preferred her own suitors act the same way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I go out on a date and someone, you know, orders first or sits down and says to the waitress, \u2018I\u2019ll have\u2019 before me or hops in his door and goes, \u2018Oh,\u2019 and then looks to \u2026 unlock,\u201d she quipped of her pet peeves. \u201cI have to say that\u2019s, like, my No. 1, and I think that\u2019s everything to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Everything Today’s Hoda Kotb Has Said About Dating, Breakups and More<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tHoda Kotb isn\u2019t letting breakups stand in the way of enjoying herself and finding love again. \u201cLife is beautiful. Try things, go out, get out of your house and your apartment,\u201d Kotb told Entertainment Tonight in March 2024. \u201cI feel like life is meant to be experienced and [you should] step out into it. I [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The former Today <\/i>host added, \u201cAlso, I don\u2019t care about somebody\u2019s money. All I care about is emotional, like, connection, a real connect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kotb shared that she experienced a real-life moment of connection during a recent flight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was actually on a flight the other day and sat next to somebody and, literally, for the whole flight, we had this weird connection [and] connect moment,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI don\u2019t know if it was what it was exactly, but I walked out of there floating. I don\u2019t know what it was, but it was something that I felt I was like, \u2018I need more of whatever this is in my life.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

In regard to dating, Kotb specifically hopes to connect with a partner who can \u201cenjoy\u201d life.<\/p>\n

Kotb was previously married<\/span><\/a> to Burzis Kanga <\/b>from 2005 to 2008. She later dated financier Joel Schiffman <\/b>for eight years before they called off their engagement in 2022. Since their split, Kotb and Schiffman, 68, have continued to coparent<\/span><\/a> their two daughters, Haley, 9, and Hope, 7.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sees the kids. He takes them to school some, and he sees them on weekends,\u201d Kotb exclusively told Us Weekly<\/i><\/span><\/a> <\/i>in April 2022. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a really nice, easy situation. We make sure that the kids get plenty of him and plenty of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the time, Kotb wasn\u2019t ready to dive back into the dating scene.<\/p>\n

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