WASHINGTON — Sheinelle Jones is officially counting down to her next chapter on “Today,” and her co-hosts made sure she felt the love before she goes.
On the Jan. 2 episode of the 3rd Hour of “Today,” Craig Melvin, Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer gave Jones a heartfelt on-air sendoff as she prepares to transition into her new role as co-host of the show’s fourth hour alongside Jenna Bush Hager.
“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.”
Jones, who has been a fixture on the 9 a.m. hour for years, thanked both her colleagues and viewers at home, promising that her departure isn’t goodbye.
“It has been an honor to be a part of the nonsense people,” she said, referencing the group’s longtime nickname. “You are not getting rid of me.”
She added that her time with the team has been “one of the best rides of my life.”
The sendoff comes almost a month after NBC announced Jones as the permanent co-host of the newly renamed “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle,” marking a major shift for the fourth hour following Hoda Kotb’s exit last year.
Jones will officially begin her new role on January 12.
She will leave her position on the 3rd Hour of Today, while Melvin, Roker and Dreyer continue as co-hosts of the 9 a.m. show. Jones has been part of the Today family since 2014, joining “Weekend Today” before becoming a weekday co-host in 2019.
Bush Hager announced the exciting news on air back in December, reflecting on the year-long rotation of guest co-hosts following Kotb’s exit.
“I’ve made some incredible friends, and I’ve learned so much about myself, and you, the audience, have been with me for the entire time. So thank you so much,” she said. “Today, I am so thrilled to announce I have found my forever friend, and we are going to start a brand new journey in January.”
Jones, who has guest co-hosted the hour previously, reacted emotionally on air. “To have a show like this is beyond my wildest dreams,” she said. “This is the real deal, and I get to do it with Jenna.”
“There’s nobody I would rather sit next to,” Bush Hager added.
NBC previously said the move represents “an exciting new chapter” for the fourth hour, with executives praising Jones’ authenticity, warmth and deep connection with viewers.
“Sheinelle has been a cherished member of NBC News for more than 11 years,” executive vice president Libby Leist and Jenna & Friends executive producer Talia Parkinson-Jones said in a statement to NBC News. “From standout interviews with newsmakers and celebrities to her iconic Halloween performances as Beyoncé and Tina Turner, she has captivated audiences time and again.”
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