The media outlets and tabloids have been all abuzz with the news that Kathie Lee Gifford, 65, will be leaving her place as co-host of the fourth hour of the NBC morning show, Today, in April 2019.

While fans and the media are desperately trying to figure out who will replace the experienced morning show host, Gifford is simply enjoying the fact that she will soon be able to start a new chapter of her life.

A New Chapter

The multi-talented Gifford has had an illustrious career in the public eye, most commonly known for her 15-year run on the morning talk show, Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee.

Her time with Regis on Live! truly made Gifford a household name and resulted in great successes for her and Regis with the two being jointly nominated eight consecutive years in a row (1993 to 2000) for Outstanding Talk Show Host for the Daytime Emmy Awards.

After leaving Live! in 2000, Gifford, who loves to sing, released several albums and briefly became a special correspondent for The Insider, an entertainment magazine TV show, before joining Hoda Kotb to host the fourth hour of Today in 2008.

During her time at Today, Gifford has not only helped to increase ratings for the time slot that her and Kotb fill, but she has also thoroughly enjoyed her time on the show and appears to be leaving on good terms. She reportedly wants to focus on herself and the next chapter of her life.

A source close to Gifford told Closer Weekly, “She wants to now, at this point in her life, be responsible only for herself, not her family or Today. This is a pivotal time for her.”

Her decision to leave Today and pursue her other passions may also come from some advice given to her by her late husband, Frank Gifford, who died in 2015. A source said, “Frank encouraged her, while he was here and well, to do what was in her heart. And Kathie Lee is an artist in her heart.”

And according to both those who are close to Gifford and Gifford herself, this change has been a long time coming, with a source close to Gifford saying, “Everyone knew that she wanted to leave for at least two or three years, longer even. She stayed because of her love for Hoda and for the crew.”

Gifford confirmed this sentiment on air, sharing her feelings about leaving Today with viewers, “I feel so relieved. I’ve known it was coming for a long, long time.”

According to sources close to Gifford, she already has big plans for this next chapter in her life, “She wants a shot at having a successful faith-based musical on Broadway. She loves doing TV cameos and wants to do faith-based indie films — to act, write, produce and even direct!”

It sounds like Gifford will have plenty to keep her busy after her departure from morning television in April 2019 – we just hope that she takes some time to relax, enjoy her children and family, and do whatever brings her fulfillment and happiness!

We can’t wait to see what comes next for Gifford and we wish her all the luck in the world!

Were you a fan of Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee or Gifford and Kotb’s segment on Today? What would you like to see Gifford do next? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below!