KATHIE Lee Gifford is not happy with her longtime friend Hoda Kotb after the Today host spilled the beans about her relationship status on the morning show.
Kathie Lee, 70, is “upset” with Hoda, 59, after she appeared to disclose her breakup from Tennessee businessman Richard Spitz on live TV during a segment with Jenna Bush Hager earlier this week, a source told The U.S. Sun.
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Kathie Lee Gifford was said to be mad at her old friend Hoda Kotb after she seemingly leaked her relationship status on live TVCredit: Getty
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Kathie Lee and businessman Richard Spitz had been very quietly dating over the past couple of years, though there were often reports of troubles in the relationshipCredit: Shot for the US Sun
A source said: “Kathie Lee was hurt after Hoda and Jenna did a segment on the Golden Bachelorette, and Hoda suggested her old friend Kathie as a candidate for the show.”
“Some would have been thrilled that Hoda held them up for production on her massive Today Show platform, but not Kathie Lee,” the source added.
“Kathie Lee was crushed that her friend outed her relationship status after she had done her best to keep everything with Richard under wraps,” the source added.
During the segment, Hoda said that Kathie Lee “would be perfect” on The Golden Bachelorette, which will feature contestants ages 60 and up and is set to air in the fall.
Correspondent Justin Sylvester said that there was “not enough chardonnay in the world” to get the former TV host on the show, but her longtime friend Hoda disagreed.
“Oh, you never know! She might! By the way, she would be a 10 plus, and she’d get her choice of all the men, and you know how she is all flirty and cute,” Hoda responded.
Kathie Lee and Richard were last seen at a gym session together in November, through rumblings that there was trouble in paradise had been going on for some time.
In December, Kathie Lee snubbed Richard from a holiday family photo.
The former TV host shared a photo of her son Cody, 33, his wife, Erika, and their two young children.
Kathie Lee’s grandson, Frank, 1, was seen sucking his thumb next to Cody, and Erika held their newborn son, Ford, in her arms.
GYM SESSION
Richard and Kathie were seen leaving an early morning gym class on November 4 of last year.
She and Richard, live in the same gated community in Franklin, Tennesse,e and had frequented the nearby gym on a number of occasions.
SECRET ROMANCE
The U.S. Sun had also previously reported that Richard wanted to keep their relationship under wraps, and it was a source of contention between them.
An insider said last year that “He has never allowed his picture to be taken, and is furious that his relationship with Kathie Lee is ‘out there’ now.”
The source continued Richard has “on a number of occasions, denied even being with Kathie Lee when asked in public in front of her.”
The insider claimed the pair had a “big fight” over keeping their romance private.
The source added: “Kathie Lee wants the relationship to move forward, and he refuses to even acknowledge it publicly and for some reason, she has put up with it.”
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Kathie Lee was said to be upset at her old friend Hoda for suggesting she would be a perfect fit on the Golden BacheloretteCredit: Getty
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The Today SHow host and Kathie Lee have been friends for years and it appears Hoda was trying to be a supportive friend
