Excused absence

HODA Kotb was missing from “Today” again — after recently returning from taking time off during her daughter Hope’s health scare. Savannah Guthrie assured viewers that her co-anchor was out just because she was “a bit under the weather,” and noted it was “good to have Craig [Melvin]” filling in. Kotb was recently off for a week for her kids’ spring break — and prior to that missed two weeks of “Today” amid a “family health matter.” She told fans in March when she returned from dealing with the medical emergency: “My youngest, Hope, was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for more than a week . . . I’m so grateful she’s home.”