Sheinelle Jones held back tears as she was celebrated Friday on her final appearance on the third hour of Today. Her co-hosts Al Roker, Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer paid tribute to their colleague as she sets off to begin her new role as permanent co-host on the fourth hour of Today with Jenna Bush Hager.
“This will be her final show with us before she makes the move officially on January 12th,” Melvin told viewers. “We wanted to toast her. And share a few – because there have been a slew but we will share a few of our favorite moments we have had together.”
“You’re so real and authentic on camera and off,” Melvin told Jones, calling her his “sister in spirit.” “When you share your mantras and your poetry with us and with the world, I always enjoy those moments. They make my heart smile.”
He continued, “The stories you tell come straight from the soul, authentic and kind — journalism’s gold. The loss you endured the world also saw, yet still you rise daily, inspiring all. That smile could outshine the studio’s gleam, the spark of resilience, hope and dream.”
The loss refers to Jones losing her husband Uche Ojeh, who died from an aggressive form of brain cancer in May.
Jones has been with the network since 2014. She became co-host of the third hour of the show in 2019.
Jones was announced as Hager’s permanent co-host during an extended segment on the show’s fourth hour last month. Hager noted that she and Jones “have this long, beautiful history together,” noting that they both filled in for Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford when they were the co-hosts of the fourth Today hour.
You can watch a video of the Today tribute below.