Andy Cohen reveals how Hoda Kotb gave him 'courage and strength' to embrace parenthood later in life

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Andy Cohen revealed Hoda Kotb had played a special part in him embracing fatherhood later in life during his appearance on 'Today with Hoda and Jenna' on Tuesday, January 7, as a part of Kotb's last week on the show.

Cohen, now 58, first became a father at the age of 50. Kotb, on the other hand, welcomed her first child when she was 52. 

Andy Cohen thanks Hoda Kotb for helping him embrace parenthood later in life

Andy Cohen said during the show, "The courage and strength that you gave me to have my kids later in life. You and I had a very impactful conversation in the hallway at Radio Andy one day." "I remember," Hoda Kotb replied. 

Cohen continued, "And you were like, 'It's right on time. It's okay.' Because I was worried about where I was in my life and my age and you really set me straight and that conversation was very impactful to me personally and I really thank you for that guidance."

The executive producer of 'The Real Housewives' franchise welcomed his first child, son Ben, in 2019 when he was 50. He went on to welcome his daughter, Lucy, in 2022.

Kotb welcomed her first daughter, Haley, via adoption in 2017, and went on to adopt her second daughter, Hope, two years later, as per People.

During a conversation with the outlet at SiriusXM's 10th Annual Radio Andy Holiday Hangout in New York City in December 2024, Cohen talked about some sweet moments he's shared recently with his two children.

He said, "Ben is love bombing me so much, and Lucy also is so — any quality time that she and I get alone without Ben, she's so excited about."

Cohen added, "I took her to the doctor today and she talked about it like I was taking her to, you know, see the Rockettes. She's like, 'Daddy and I — just Daddy and I — are going to the doctor, just Daddy and I.' So she's very much daddy's little girl."

Andy Cohen on being a single parent to two children

In September 2024, Andy Cohen got candid about the extra pressure he feels as a single father to two children.

During an appearance on David Duchovny's podcast 'Fail Better', he revealed that while he didn't use to feel self-doubt frequently, becoming a father to Ben and Lucy has given him "a whole world of worry," according to People.

He told Duchovny, "I told you earlier that I wasn't someone that had a lot of self-doubt. But, I mean, this will do it to you — being a parent. You start to question everything, especially as a single parent."

Cohen continued to list the questions that "keep him up at night," stating, "Everything from what kind of world am I bringing my child into to, you know, what's gonna happen to us? What happens if something happens to me? Are they gonna be okay?"

He added, "I mean, there's a whole world of worry that I never had."

"I think you said at one point that you want your kids to be around, at least to know that there are other single, gay parents out there. So that's important to you as well, is it?" asked Duchovny.

Cohen replied, "You don't want to feel alone. You don't wanna feel like, 'Oh, I'm not, you know, I'm the only one without a mom, or I'm the only one without two dads, or a mom and a dad, whatever.'"

"And they don't, I have to say. There are other single parents that they know, and there's a lot of gay dads in their lives, so they see," the 58-year-old noted.