Blake Shelton surprises Hoda Kotb by revealing that she once ran away from him, but quickly denies the claim that he “tried to kiss her.”
By Website Content Manager
The country star caught Kotb off guard on Today with Hoda and Jenna during her final week on the show.
Blake Shelton surprised Hoda Kotb with a funny memory from years ago.
On Wednesday, January 8, the 48-year-old country star made a surprise visit on Today with Hoda and Jenna during Kotb’s final week on the show. He brought up a humorous recollection involving Kotb, 60, who has long been known to have a “crush” on him.
The moment was sparked when Jenna Bush Hager, 43, said, “Hoda was in love with you for many years. I think she’s let that go, but she still adores you, and I know you adore her.”
The “Ol’ Red” artist then reminisced about an encounter with Kotb at a Nashville party years ago after Bush Hager’s comments.
“It’s funny, too, that you talked about Hoda saying I was her first love or whatever. I did run into her in Nashville one time, off-camera, it had nothing to do with television or anything. And I thought it was going to be our moment,” Shelton chuckled.
He went on, “But she completely ran away from me. I mean, she ran away from me like totally afraid of me.”
The story left Kotb stunned, and she gasped, “Wait, wait. What?!”
Shelton responded, “Yes, remember at the number ones party I was like, ‘Hoda, you’re here!’ And you were like, ‘I gotta go!’”
Kotb, laughing, said she’s “not leaving parties early anymore” once she retires.
Hager then playfully asked Shelton if something romantic could have developed, saying, “Would you have shot your shot? Would you have leaned in and given her a little— I mean, this was before Gwen [Stefani], let’s just put that out there.”
The former Voice coach, who has been married to Stefani, 55, since 2021, told Hager to “slow your roll a little bit.”
“I’m just saying I saw Hoda in Nashville and she ran away from me at a party,” Shelton replied, as the co-hosts laughed. “That’s all I’m saying.”
After nearly 18 years on Today, Kotb is stepping away from the news desk.