Hoda Kotb signs new deal to stay with NBC

Fans of Today‘s boozy fourth hour can breathe a little easier this morning: A source confirms to EW that Hoda Kotb has inked a new, multi-year deal with NBC News. The contract has Kotb staying on as co-host of the morning show’s concluding segment with Kathie Lee Gifford; she will continue contributing to NBC News’s other programs as well.

Earlier this year, it seemed as though Kotb was preparing to jump ship. EW reported that the anchor was taking meetings with other studios, signifying that she was considering leaving NBC. And according to Capital New York, Kotb was “hotly pursued” by ABC over the summer; NBC’s rival allegedly wanted her to join the panel on The View, which will undergo another major shakeup when Barbara Walters steps down in May 2014.

Kotb has had a presence on NBC since joining Dateline as a correspondent in 1998. She’s been co-hosting Today‘s fourth hour since the segment launched in 2007.