Today show fans have eagerly awaited Al Roker’s return to the show for the past two months. On Tuesday’s episode, his colleagues, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Craig Melvin, announced that Roker would be back in the studio on Friday, January 6th, for his first appearance since being hospitalized for blood clots in his leg and lungs.
Guthrie, 51, shared her excitement to welcome back her friend and colleague, saying, “We have some great news to share this morning: Al is coming back to the show. Everyone’s like, ‘When when?’ Well, we have our date. He’ll be here Friday. He’ll be right here in Studio 1A. This is his place. He’ll be in his seat, right where he belongs. I cannot wait for that.”
Roker, 68, has been a part of the Today show family since 1996, taking over from the late Willard Scott as the morning program’s premier weather anchor.
Roker was first hospitalized, released weeks later, and then again returned to the hospital after Thanksgiving. His absence caused him to miss the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in 27 years, as well as the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center.
Roker shared his progress via Instagram, with his colleagues also providing updates on his recovery. To show their support, the Today show family even included a sweet shout-out to him in their 2022 digital holiday card and surprised Roker at home with a Christmas carol singalong.
While recovery has been slow, Roker has been surrounded by his family, including his wife, Deborah Roberts, and children, Courtney, 35, Leila, 24, and Nick, 20. On Dec. 12, he expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of prayers and thanks and noted that it has been “the hardest one yet” regarding his health issues.
Roker also posted to his Instagram on December 26th, saying, “So grateful to have experienced another Christmas and to be with my family. We make assumptions and plans and they can upended in an instant. You think you are grateful and show gratitude. And then, you realize, suddenly, that the depth of those words are so much deeper. I can never thank all of you who prayed for us enough.”
What a joy to see Al Roker back at the weather board today after 2 months away! pic.twitter.com/YNsPJDClHN
— Deborah Roberts (@DebRobertsABC) January 6, 2023
