Hoda Kotb, co-anchor of NBC’s Today show, announced her engagement to long-term partner Joel Schiffman during the show on Monday morning.
She shocked fellow hosts in the studio by announcing “I have to tell you something. A friend of ours asked me to let you guys in on a secret. Her initials are Hoda Kotb and she’s engaged. ”
She then held her hand to reveal a humongous engagement ring.
Co-hosts Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker all squealed on air with excitement, none of them appeared to have any prior knowledge of the engagement, Kotb admitted that she’d hid the ring in her bra to keep it a surprise.
The massive ring appears to have a gigantic radiant-cut bezel-set stone, which is surrounded by a halo of pavé sapphires. The band is also covered in diamonds.
Kotb described the ring as looking like a stop sign and suggested it had sapphires, but she wasn’t sure, “I don’t know” she said, “but I love it”.
Diamond expert Ira Weissman reportedly suggested that the stone appeared to be a five-carat Asscher cut diamond. The combination of white diamonds and blue sapphires has been described as similar to the ring that Princess Diana passed onto Kate Middleton, and is considered a classic combination. It has been reportedly priced at anything from $40,000 to $250,000.
Hoda Kotb was previously married from 2005 to 2007 to Burzis Kanga. She and Joel have been together now for 6 years. In 2015, she said of her relationship with Joel that “he’s the guy that gives me butterflies at 50 years old.”
Kotb posted a photo of the priceless reaction of her colleagues as she revealed the engagement ring to them. They’re shocked expressions were captured perfectly.
Joel Schiffman, 61, proposed to Kotb while the couple was on a beach on vacation. Kotb said they hadn’t revealed the news to their adopted daughters just yet.