Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman’s Relationship Timeline: From Getting Engaged to Friendly Exes

2008

Hoda divorced ex-husband Burzis Kanga in 2008 after three years of marriage. In the years that followed, she slowly opened herself up to finding love again.

2013

The Today host met Joel for the first time when she was speaking at a Wall Street event. They secretly began dating shortly after.

2015

Hoda and Joel did not go public with their romance until after two years of dating. She revealed details about their first time meeting.

“I asked someone from the place. I asked, ‘Will you find out his situation?’ Because I didn’t know anything about him … He didn’t have a wedding ring, but that’s all I knew,” she said during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in 2015.

Someone from the event emailed Joel and eventually put him in contact with Hoda.

“Then she emailed him and he emailed me and asked me out on a date,” she said. “We’ve been going out for two years.”

2016

Hoda revealed that she and Joel were moving in together during an episode of SiriusXM’s The Hoda Show, saying, “It’s a little weird to be in your 50s and we’re like, ‘Hey, we’re moving in!’ It’s like we’re kids. It’s so weird. It’s been so long since I’ve lived with someone, I’m a little concerned with me, not him. Like, how I am, as a human? You know, it’s not going to be easy for poor Joel.”

2017

The pair decided to expand their family. They adopted daughter Haley Joy. “She is the love of my life,” Hoda said of the baby girl while joining Today via phone.

2018

Hoda gushed over her relationship with Joel and how they were enjoying parenting their baby girl.

“Joel is not only a great life partner, he will be with me the rest of my life,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “I have no doubt he’s an unbelievable father to Haley. He literally comes home and says, ‘Is she sleeping? Oh no, did I miss her?’ And when she says, ‘Dada’ and stumbles over to him, I don’t know that there’s a sweeter sound.”

2019

The TV presenter and the financier decided to adopt another daughter, Hope Catherine.

“Joel and I were standing there when they hand you the baby and it’s the closest thing to a live birth I think you’ll ever see,” she said during a virtual Today appearance. “But anyway, in that moment I was like, my god, my heart just grew! It’s amazing. Anyway, I can’t believe it’s happening, y’all. I can’t.”

That year, Joel asked Hoda to marry him while they were on vacation and she happily accepted.

“Joel proposed to me. It was a good trip,” the mom of two told Today viewers of the proposal. “I was totally shocked… We went on our usual vacation. We ended up having a little dinner on the beach. And I was like, we were done with the dinner, I was eating the churros, I looked in the bottom of the bowl, and he was like, ‘I have something else I’d like to say.’ And he said some beautiful things and then he got down on one knee and then he said, ‘Will you be my wife?’ I said, ‘Yes!'”

2020

Hoda and Joel were forced to postpone their wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was a destination wedding, which would mean people getting on planes,” she said during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “We were kind of holding out to see what could happen, but the destination we were going to is turning into one of the hot spots. So, it looks like we may have to postpone.”

2022

At the start of the year, Hoda shocked fans when she announced her breakup from Joel during an episode of Today after viewers noticed she wasn’t wearing her engagement ring.

“Joel and I have had, we’ve 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,” she said at the time.

“We decided that we are going to start this new year and begin it on our new path, as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children and as friends,” she said. “It’s not like something happened.”

2023

Hoda reflected on her coparenting arrangement with Joel after he moved out of their shared home.

“He’ll have a Saturday, and I’ll do the Sunday. We switch each week,” she shared with People. “He’ll take the girls and do some fun things, and I’ll take some quiet time. It’s a healthy mix, and the kids love it. He’s a great dad.”

“‘Does that work for you?’ ‘Do you need me to change that?’ We’re very open about fixing things so that everybody’s needs are being met,” she added. “He’s a great dad — but I also know I’m on the right road.”

2024

During an episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show, Hoda opened up about the real reason why she and Joel broke up.

“Joel is one of the best people I know, and he really is a great human being,” she said. “And I feel like I’m a pretty great human being, but sometimes two great human beings together isn’t quite enough to make it work.”

“I think a lot of people are probably in these situations,” she added. “One person’s growing … or one person wants it this way, and one person wants it that way.”

Hoda also mentioned that they were “growing at different paces” and it was “hard to be in sync.”

December 2024

Hoda celebrated her first Christmas in her new home with her family and Joel. Joel joined in on the festivities as the family donned matching pajamas and opened gifts. They posed for photos in the living room in front of the Christmas tree, as well as later on at the dinner table while enjoying a delicious meal.

Prior to the holiday, Hoda opened up about the traditions she has with her family each year.

“For us, our Christmas isn’t huge ‘cause it’s me, my kids, my mom, my sister, Joel,” she said on Today. “We get together. That’s the group, and it’s kind of just a cozy Christmas. So, we’ll put out cookies tonight for Santa and carrots. He always seems to like the cookies more.”