Photo Credit:Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Sheinelle Jones is set to return to the _Today_ show following the death of her husband, Uche Ojeh, earlier this year. The longtime co-host of the program’s third hour will be back on-air Friday, Sept. 5, after stepping away in late 2024 to care for her family.
Jones’ comeback was announced in Sept. 2 by Savannah Guthrie, who told viewers, “She and her family have been through so much after the devastating loss of her husband, Uche.” Guthrie added that Jones will share a “deeply personal interview” in which she opens up about grief, why she has called her journey a “beautiful nightmare,” and her “special message of hope” for others facing challenges.
Ojeh, 45, died on May 23 after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. During that morning’s broadcast, Guthrie delivered the heartbreaking news: “With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our friend and _Today_ co-host Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle… There are no words for the pain we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him.”
Jones and Ojeh had been married since 2007, after first meeting at Northwestern University. Together, they raised three children: Kayin, 15, and twins Clara and Uche, 12. In a quiet Instagram post following her husband’s passing, Jones shared a clip from the _Today_ tribute, writing simply, “Thank you, for all of your love and support.”
Her absence was felt deeply among colleagues and viewers alike. Dylan Dreyer, who co-hosts the third hour with Jones, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin, described her as “the bright light when she walks into the room.” She added that even in her grief, Jones leaned on faith and friends to find strength.
Several of Jones’ _Today_ colleagues, including Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda Kotb, and Craig Melvin, were present at Ojeh’s funeral on May 30 in New York. After the service, Roker emphasized that while no one can truly understand the depth of such loss without experiencing it personally, the team wanted to honour Ojeh’s legacy and recognized that his memory would continue through his children and the many lives he touched.
Jones’ return will mark her first public remarks since Ojeh’s death.
