Today show host Hoda Kotb announced publicly on Monday, January 31, 2022, that she and Joel Schiffman had broken up.
Her statement left viewers shocked as she and the financier dated for eight years before calling it quits on their relationship.
The couple got engaged in November 2019, but their wedding was delayed due to the pandemic. They even share adopted children together.
Reason behind Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman’s breakup
Hoda addressed the reason behind her breakup with Joel during her latest segment on Today with Hoda & Jenna.
The host and her former fiance believe they are better off as friends than romantic partners.
“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.”
She further explained that nothing happened between them. “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,” Hoda said.
An insider told Closer Weekly that the couple ended it as they realized they “just weren’t meant to grow old together as a couple.”
“Feelings change, life takes different paths, and they’re both OK with that. What they had was special and they look forward to raising their girls. There’s not a lot of drama behind this breakup,” the source further added.
- TRENDING: Whindersson Nunes expected to fight Logan Paul
The couple share two daughters together
Hoda and Joel are parents to two adopted daughters, Hope Catherine and Haley Joy. They are two and four years old respectively.
The duo got engaged in 2019, about six years after dating.
They met at an event for Wall Street professionals in the summer of 2013. They went on a date following the event and hit it off.
However, they remained tight-lipped about their relationship until the paparazzi released pictures of them together.
Meet Joel Schiffman
Joel’s Linkedin shows that he currently works as the Head of Intermediary Distribution, North America, for an investment management company.
He doesn’t appear to be active on social media.
According to The Hollywood Life, he was previously married and has a daughter named Kyle Schiffman from a past relationship.
In other news, Bishop Noel Jones is finally getting married to long-time partner Loretta