Kathie Lee Gifford confirms she's been planning her Today exit a "long long time," says she's "so relieved" the news is out

People

“I feel so relieved,” Kathie Lee said on this morning's Today show. “I’ve known it was coming for a long long time and you want to get your story out before somebody else tries to tell your story in an inaccurate way." She added: "Hoda’s known it for a long, long time,” Gifford said. “All these other projects have been bubbling up … and it’s so exciting. Movies and music and so many wonderful things. And I need the time for them to do them properly.”

ALSO:

• Kathie Lee says Regis Philbin phoned her yesterday and said: "Kath, I'm so happy for you"
• Kathie Lee on her replacement: "Whoever Hoda wants, Hoda gets!"