Sheinelle Jones Sets ‘Today Show’ Return After Her Husband’s Tragic Death

Sheinelle Jones will be returning to The Today Show this week after the recent death of her husband, Uche Ojeh, in May.

Savannah Guthrie announced during Tuesday’s broadcast that her longtime colleague will be returning to host The Today Show this Friday, Sept. 5. She also shared that she sat down with Jones for an emotional pre-taped interview about her husband’s battle with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer.

“She and her family have been through so much after the devastating loss off her husband Uche,” Guthrie said during Tuesday’s broadcast. “We recently sat down together. We shared a really personal conversation talking about how she has carried on and found the strength the past few months. She calls this experience a ‘beautiful nightmare.’”

Guthrie added that Jones shared “a special message of hope, too, for anybody facing their own struggles.”

Guthrie was surrounded by her co-anchors – Jenna Bush Hager, Carson Daly, Craig Melvin and Al Roker – as she celebrated Jones’ full-time return to the show.

“We cannot wait to welcome Sheinelle home right where she belongs, right here in our studio, studio 1A, on Friday,” Guthrie said.

This marks Jones’ first time returning to NBC since stepping away from The Today Show in January to care for her husband and family.

Jones announced she was taking time away from the show after several weeks of absence.

Jones and Ojeh reportedly met as students at Northwestern University when Jones, then an 18-year-old freshman, gave him a tour around the campus, according to Today.com. The couple later married in 2007 and share three children, Kayin, Uche, and Clara.

Guthrie and Melvin announced his passing on The Today Show when news broke in May.

“There are no words for the pain we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children,” Guthrie said. “Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him. And so we want to take a moment to tell you more about the remarkable man who was Sheinelle’s perfect partner in life.”

The Today Show airs weekdays on NBC at 7/6c.