Kathie Lee Gifford receives star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: ‘Thank you for this honor’
Gifford co-hosted the 'Today Show with Kathie Lee & Hoda' for 11 years
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kathie Lee Gifford obtained a long-overdue star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday.
The 67-year-old former co-host of "Today Show with Kathie Lee & Hoda," who held the gig for 11 years before stepping away in April 2019, was originally slated to receive her star on the famed Hollywood Boulevard in 2020 but the event was pushed into 2021.
Dolly Parton, 75, Hoda Kotb, 56, and Craig Ferguson, 58, each recorded congratulatory messages for Gifford, which were played during the virtual ceremony, and Gifford’s life and career highlights were also showcased during the live stream.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Parton wrote the forward for Gifford’s book, "It’s Never Too Late," and of course the actress and Broadway performer’s longtime sisterhood with Kotb is well-documented.
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"Yessssssss!!! My girl will soon get her star on the Hollywood walk of fame!!!!" Kotb wrote in an Instagram post in June 2019. "Congrats @kathielgifford."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gifford's star is located at 6834 Hollywood Blvd., just steps away from the El Capitan Theatre and only five stars away from that of the late Regis Philbin, whom Gifford co-hosted the popular daytime talk show "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" with from 1988 to 2000. It was a continuation spinoff of "The Morning Show," which they previously hosted together from 1985 to 1988 on ABC’s local New York City affiliate.
The esteemed pair received nine Daytime Emmy nominations as outstanding talk show host for their work on the program.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gifford, herself, was born in 1953 in Paris, France because her father was stationed at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) Headquarters on General Dwight D. Eisenhower's staff.
Kathie Lee Gifford and the late Regis Philbin were co-hosts for years.(Photo by: Peter Kramer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
"My father was a 20-year veteran as well. He lied about his age – I always say to him it was the only bad thing he ever did. Lied about his age when he was 17-years-old when Pearl Harbor happened and joined the Navy as well," Gifford explained to Fox News in May 2020.
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These days, the now-Nashville native enjoys a life that she has specifically crafted and curated to fit her multitude of interests, including acting, writing, producing music and still executive producing TV films.
Gifford’s next book, a forthcoming scribe titled, "The Jesus I Know," is also set to release on Nov. 30 and features a compilation of conversations with a wide range of celebrities about faith.
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"Thank you for this wonderful honor!" Gifford exuded in a tweet posing with a plaque of her star on Wednesday.