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Kathie Lee Gifford says she went on first date in 33 years: 'It was surreal'

"The world's changed so much," the former TODAY host said.
/ Source: TODAY

Kathie Lee Gifford is wading back into the dating game.

The longtime TODAY with Kathie Lee & Hoda co-host returned to her old stomping grounds Tuesday when she appeared on TODAY's fourth hour, now known as TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, for the first time since she left in April — and took a few moments to discuss her love life.

Kathie Lee Gifford returning to the TODAY show
Kathie Lee Gifford returned to TODAY to give Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager the scoop on her work and dating life.Nathan Congleton \ TODAY

Kathie Lee, 66, who was married to husband Frank Gifford from 1986 until his death in 2015, is now based in Nashville, where she has gone "out on a couple of dates."

“I went out with friends to a club to hear my favorite band down there, the Smoking Section. Tim Akers & the Smoking Section,” she said.

She then explained how one man caught her attention.

Kathie Lee Gifford returns to the TODAY show
Kathie Lee had fun catching up with Hoda and Jenna.Nathan Congleton \ TODAY

“I went to hear them, and this sweet guy asked me to dance, and so I said, ‘OK.’ And then he just disappeared into the crowd,” she recalled. “And then, you know, a couple weeks later, same band — Tim Akers & the Smoking Section — so we danced again. And then we just went out a couple times. It was fun because I hadn’t been on a date in 33 years."

Going out with a man after so many years was a strange experience for her.

“It’s surreal,” Kathie Lee said. “You know, it’s surreal. ‘Cause the world’s changed so much, you know. But he’s a gentleman, so it was fine. It was fine. It was fun. But then I got so busy. We’re just from different worlds.”

If you want to see even more of Kathie Lee, you can catch her in the new Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film, "A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love," premiering Nov. 17.