Hoda Kotb suffers ‘medical emergency’ live on air, loses ‘all eyesight’
Hoda Kotb was out of sight — literally — when her contact lens went missing while she was live on air, prompting co-host Jenna Bush Hager to ask if she was having a “medical emergency.”
The longtime host’s mishap occurred during Thursday’s episode of “Today with Hoda & Jenna,” and prevented her from reading her lines on the teleprompter.
“I think I have a contact stuck in my eye way up here,” she said at the end of the program’s first segment. “I don’t think I took it out last night and I can’t find it. It feels like it’s in there!”
Kotb, 59, went on to explain that she wasn’t joking and considered going to the eye doctor but didn’t have time.
“Wait, this is not good!” Bush Hager exclaimed. “That seems like it’s an emergency!”
The show then cut to commercial but upon returning, the matter still wasn’t resolved.
“We have breaking news: Hoda has now lost all eyesight because her other contact fell out,” Hager shared with viewers.
Kotb then clarified there were two contacts stuck “in there.”
“OK, they are both lost in the eye cavity,” Bush Hager said. “I’m going to go ahead and read and hopefully when the health person comes, we can resolve this issue.”
Amid the mayhem, a fan submitted a tip on social media, suggesting Kotb look down while pulling on her eyelid. Kotb attempted the maneuver and it worked — at least on one of the contacts.
“That was so crazy, that was the best advice!” she yelled to the unseen camera crew. She then told Bush Hager that “everything looks super fuzzy … like a bunch of mushed up colors.”
Not sure of the status of the second contact, Kotb still struggled to get through the remainder of the segment.
“OK, we’re moving on,” Bush Hager announced, adding, “Let’s hope a doctor arrives and Hoda will be able to see.”