Kathie Lee Gifford returning to TV as anchor of 'Today'

NEW YORK -- Kathie Lee Gifford will soon be back on TV's early shift.

The former co-star of the syndicated "Live" talk show will join NBC's "Today" on Monday. She will be teamed with Hoda Kotb (pronounced HO-dah COT-bee), a current anchor of the program's seven-month-old fourth hour, which airs live at 9 a.m.

The announcement was made during Monday's broadcast, with Gifford seated alongside the program's established stars, including Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, co-hosts of the first two hours.

Gifford, 54, who left Regis Philbin and "Live" in 2000, joked that the timing of her TV return "couldn't be worse" in certain ways: "I'm eight years older, 10 pounds heavier, a half-inch shorter and just in time for HD television."

Long married to former NFL star and sports announcer Frank Gifford, she joked, "It's going to be good to be working. I'm really tired of staying home and watching Frank's old highlight films."

Ann Curry will continue her role as news anchor of the 6 a.m.-8 a.m. hours of "Today," as well as co-host, with Al Roker, of the 8 a.m. hour. Natalie Morales will join Curry and Roker as a third co-host at 8 a.m., and will serve as the show's national correspondent, the network said.