Sheinelle Jones takes break from Today show for family health matter

Sheinelle Jones has addressed her recent absence from the "Today" show, where she has been noticeably missing for weeks. On Wednesday, the beloved co-anchor of the NBC morning show's third hour revealed on Instagram that she is taking a break to focus on a family health matter. However, it seems that Jones is not leaving her long-time position at NBC. "Hi everybody, I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I've been away from the show. I want to share that I’m taking time off to address a family health issue," Jones wrote in a post on Wednesday morning. "I’m so grateful for the support of my Today Show family, and for all of you. Your kindness means a lot to me. I’ll see you soon," she concluded, signing the note "Love, Sheinelle." On the "Today" show Wednesday, Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin shared Jones' message, allowing her to explain her absence in her own words. Guthrie noted, "She posted to Instagram this morning, letting everyone know she’s been taking time off for personal, family health matters. She expressed thanks for everyone’s kindness and concern." Melvin added, "We all love you, Sheinelle, and we can’t wait to have you back." Jones' absence was especially noticeable during the high-profile exit of former "Today" co-anchor Hoda Kotb, who hosted alongside Guthrie. The celebrations surrounding Kotb’s departure, which included heartfelt messages from the "Today" team, did not feature Jones. Jones shares three children with her husband, Uche Ojeh: Kayin, 15, and 12-year-old fraternal twins Clara and Uche Jr. Jones, a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, joined "Today" in 2014 after nearly a decade at Fox 29 News Philadelphia. She currently co-hosts the third hour of the show with Melvin, Al Roker, and meteorologist Dylan Dreyer. Jones is also known for her popular "Wild Child" segments, showcasing baby animals for NBC's "The More You Know" programs. Previously, Jones took a leave of absence in 2020 for health reasons after undergoing vocal cord surgery. She documented her recovery in an interview with People magazine, revealing that the surgery left her voiceless for three weeks. "It’s to the point where people have no idea how much I do just to get ready for the show," Jones said at the time, describing the extensive exercises she did to avoid sounding hoarse. Jones' absence comes at a time of change for the "Today" show. With Kotb's departure last Friday, Craig Melvin was named as her replacement and began his new role alongside Guthrie earlier this week. Melvin will now co-anchor the first two hours of "Today" alongside Guthrie, while continuing on the program’s third hour with Jones. Melvin expressed his excitement at taking on the new role, saying, "You’ve sat there so many times, but this morning is special. Let’s go, this is going to be a beautiful ride." Guthrie responded, "And there’s no one I would rather ride with than you, so let’s do this."