Craig Melvin Breaks Silence on Sheinelle Jones’ Absence From ‘Today’

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For several months now, Today viewers have been expressing concern for Sheinelle Jones.

The beloved host’s ongoing absence began as the show was undergoing some major retooling.

As you’ve likely heard, Hoda Kotb has stepped away earlier this year after nearly 17 years at the anchors’ desk. And she’s been replaced by Craig Melvin, who will now be seated alongside Savannah Guthrie for the show’s “flagship hours.”

Obviously, there’s been a lot of coverage surrounding those changes. But Sheinelle’s absence was mostly swept under the rug.

Where Is Sheinelle Jones?

If you’re a regular Today viewer, you might have noticed that Sheinelle Jones has been missing from the show since before Christmas.

She missed the weeklong “Hodabration” in Kotb’s final episodes, and curiously, Sheinelle’s colleagues scarcely acknowledged her absence at the time.

“Sheinelle is off,” Al Roker briefly explained on January 10 before introducing her temporary replacement, Jill Martin.

Not surprisingly, the situation has sparked concern among fans.

But on the Monday, April 14 episode of Today, co-host Craig Melvin addressed Sheinelle’s absence during a conversation with guest correspondent, Access Hollywood‘s Emily Orozco

“I just talked to her a couple days ago — she’s taking some time to be with her family and we talk to her all the time,” Melvin said. “We love our girl. It’s been nice to see how much everyone loves her, too.”

“Exactly,” Roker added. “We’re just praying for her.”

The hosts added that Sheinelle has been dealing with “a family matter.”

“She misses being here — she misses being here with us, but she’s doing what she needs to do,” Dylan Dreyer said, adding, “She’ll be back.”

Sheinelle’s Response

Earlier this year, the 46-year-old issued a statement in which she explained that she’s dealing with “a family health matter.”

“Hi everybody … I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show,” Sheinelle wrote on Instagram.

“I want to share with you that I’m taking time to deal with a family health matter,” she continued.

“It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my Today Show family, but to also have all of you. Your kindness means so much to me.”

The statement was read on the air by Savannah Guthrie.

“We know so many of you have been asking about Sheinelle, and missing her, and we miss her, too,” sad an emotional Savannah said after sharing Sheinelle’s words.

“Sheinelle, we all love you, and we are so looking forward to having you back,” Craig Melvin added.

An Outpouring of Concern

The update follows months in which Today viewers expressed daily concerns about Sheinelle.

“Another day without @SheinelleJones on @TODAYshow and no explanation? What is going on? We need answers,” an X (formerly Twitter user) named Terrace Miller tweeted during a recent broadcast.

And as Parade points out, Terrace was not alone in her confusion:

“Not even a recorded piece from @SheinelleJones on the @TODAYshow for @hodakotb‘s last day?! Seems odd. Hope she’s ok,” another user wrote amid Hoda’s farewell party.

“I wonder if she got fired or didn’t take a pay cut or something as they don’t mention her. Best wishes Hoda and best to Sheinelle hope all is well!” a third viewer wrote.

“I loved the HODA bration but really wondered why Sheinelle Jones wasn’t among the cast?” a fourth person asked.

“@TODAYshow can u tell us where Sheinelle Jones is? So odd she is missing the #Hoda K’s farewell!” a fifth chimed in.

Questions Remain

Some fans took solace in the fact that this was not the first time she’s stepped away from Today.

Sheinelle took a brief hiatus in November of 2024 in order to attend a conference.

“I wasn’t here Friday, I went right outside of Philadelphia to speak with the Society of Professional Women,” she said upon her return on November 18.

At the time, Jones explained that she “stayed until the very end and talked to almost every single one of the women when it was over. I love that kind of stuff.”

Sheinelle’s statement will quell a lot of fears, but we still know very little about the situation that forced her to step away. We wish Sheinelle and her family all the best.

We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.