‘Something Is Not Right’: Viewers Worry About ‘Today’ Show Co-host Sheinelle Jones – Details

On January 13, 2025, Craig Melvin conducted his first “Today” show as a co-anchor alongside Savannah Guthrie. What stood out the most to online viewers during the segment was the absence of “Today” co-host Sheinelle Jones, who also missed Hoda Kotb’s farewell celebration.

The “Today” show celebrated the beginning of Guthrie and Melvin’s partnership as co-anchors with a cheerful Instagram post that captured a sweet, behind-the-scenes moment between the two.

In the short clip, Guthrie and Melvin were seated at the iconic glass-top desk in Studio 1A, exchanging a lively high-five as they geared up for their first broadcast together on Monday morning.

The playful energy between the co-anchors was palpable, with both sporting wide smiles and exuding an infectious enthusiasm for the show ahead.

Overlaid on top of the video is text that reads, “Let’s do this!” which further emphasizes their readiness to take on this new chapter.

Appropriately dressed for the occasion, Guthrie donned a vibrant fuchsia dress, while Melvin looked dapper in a classic navy suit paired with a crisp white shirt and a light gold tie.

The studio backdrop, adorned with bright lights and beautiful floral arrangements, gave the set a warm and festive feel, fitting for such a milestone day.

Accompanied by the upbeat tune “Good Morning” by Jumbo, the post perfectly encapsulated the fresh energy the duo brought to the show. “Today’s” official Instagram page captioned, “Savannah and Craig’s first week as co-anchors. ❤️ #TodayShow.”

While the celebratory post garnered some excitement for Melvin, it was quickly overshadowed by a flood of concerned comments from viewers questioning Jones’ absence from the show. “Congrats to Craig! Also, where is Sheinelle?!? She is missed!!” wondered an Instagrammer, while another echoed, “So happy for Craig. Really. But where is Shenielle????”

In response to this comment, someone else answered, “she’s been missing for weeks with no answers. Missed Hodas send off w out even a taped message. We’re worried [sic].”

Such concern continued with an observer penning, “Something is not right with #TodayShow and the absence of Sheinelle Jones. Her being gone without an explanation is really weird. I hope she is okay.” “@SheinelleJones What happened to Sheinelle on @TheTodayShow ????” questioned someone else.

Another netizen asked, “@TODAYshow can u tell us where Sheinelle Jones is? So odd she is missing the #Hoda K’s farewell!”

A spectator who also referenced Kotb’s farewell celebration remarked, “I loved the HODA bration [sic] but really wondered why Sheinelle Jones wasn’t among the cast?”

“Where is sheinelle [sic]? Something is up! No one is saying a word!” noted a user. The tone of concern grew more pointed as one person asserted, “Where’s Sheinelle? Force her out, too?” and another declared, “Where is Sheneille? I’m done with ‘TODAY’ if they did her dirty. Did the same thing to Ann years ago.”

Yet another person commented, “Where is Sheinelle?” while another responded, “so happy about Craig ❤️ Something is up with Sheinelle 🤷🏻‍♀️ I hope she’s well but no mention of her in the begining of the 3 hour! I like her so much [sic]!”

As some netizens pointed out, Jones’ absence from “Today’s” “Hoda-bration” on January 10, 2025, was particularly noticeable given the emotional magnitude of the celebration.

The special segment marked a significant milestone for Hoda Kotb, who bid farewell to the “Today” show after years of co-hosting with warmth, humor, and grace.

Her farewell wasn’t just a typical goodbye — it was a star-studded affair filled with surprise appearances and heartfelt moments that brought Kotb to tears.

One of the standout moments came when former “Today” co-host Kathie Lee Gifford made a surprise appearance in the studio. Initially, Gifford claimed to be in Tennessee in a pre-recorded video. However, Jenna Bush Hager revealed that it was all a ruse.

As Gifford stepped into the studio, Kotb screamed with joy, visibly moved by her friend’s presence. “I love you so much that I was thinking to myself, ‘I sure hope Kath comes,'” stated Hoda, wiping tears from her eyes.

Gifford’s tribute didn’t end with the surprise entrance. After a playful moment of breaking into song, she reflected on her years of sitting alongside Kotb on “Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda” from 2008 to 2019.

Her words were filled with gratitude and admiration. “You took away fear. You proved to me that you are a fearless person,” Gifford told Kotb.

The emotional moment culminated with a toast, as “Today” contributor Donna Farizan brought out large glasses of wine. Gifford sent her friend off with a prayer, quoting a verse from Jeremiah to wish Kotb a future filled with joy and purpose.

The surprises continued as Gayle King — someone Kotb has humorously called her “lookalike” — arrived to share in the festivities. King, who frequently gets mistaken for Kotb, made light of the situation with a playful gift — a shirt featuring both of their faces.

Under Kotb’s image was her name, and beneath King’s photo were the words “Not Hoda.” The humorous gesture sparked laughter from a teary-eyed Kotb who said, “I’m dying here.”

King praised Kotb for stepping away from the show on her own terms, adding that it was an honor to cheer her on during such a pivotal moment. The two embraced warmly before parting ways, with Kotb saying, “I love you.”

Another memorable highlight of the farewell was when country star Walker Hayes serenaded Kotb with a performance of “Wednesdays,” a song they wrote together.

The emotional tune, inspired by their conversation on Kotb’s “Making Space” podcast, reflected Kotb’s philosophy on life — cherishing the ordinary moments as much as the big milestones.

Two months prior to missing Kotb’s farewell celebration and Monday morning’s episode, Jones took to Instagram to share a heartfelt congratulatory post celebrating Melvin’s new role.

The post featured several snapshots of Jones, Melvin, Kotb, Guthrie, and fellow “Today” co-hosts Hager and Carson Daly, enjoying a toast together on set, exuding camaraderie and joy.

In her lengthy and heartfelt caption, Jones referred to Melvin as her “little bro” and expressed her pride and joy at seeing him step into his new role alongside Guthrie. She reminisced about their years working together, highlighting their shared history and deep bond.

“If you’ve watched us over the last decade — you can tell that we’re all pretty close,” wrote Jones, before revealing that she and Melvin attended MC Hammer concerts as kids (separately).

Jones’ caption continued with a touching reflection on Melvin’s journey. “I couldn’t be happier for Craig; when they officially named him this morning, I couldn’t help but get a little teary — because I know how hard he’s worked […] Love you @craigmelvinnbc! Congratulations!!!! 🍾🎉🎈🎊,” concluded Jones.

Like Jones, Craig Melvin has made it clear that his bond with her extends beyond the walls of the “Today” studio. As the show shared in a video posted in November 2024, Melvin and Jones are more than just colleagues — they’re “longtime friends,” as the caption of the post aptly described them.

In the clip, the two shared a heartfelt conversation about their years of working together and the advice Jones gave Melvin after it was announced he would be stepping into the co-anchor role alongside Guthrie.

Reflecting on the moment, Melvin recalled Jones offering him words of encouragement when he felt overwhelmed by the big career move. “You and I had a great conversation yesterday that I needed. You were like, ‘Today, just receive it,'” mentioned Melvin.

The pair’s easy camaraderie and long history were on full display in the clip, with Melvin joking that Jones was now “stuck” working with him for the third-hour segment. He then revealed, “I said to you a couple weeks ago, I’ve worked with you longer than anyone else in my career at this point [sic].”

Although Jones’ absence from “Today” has prompted queries and concern, judging from her last Instagram post on December 17, 2024, it would seem that the co-host and midweek correspondent may simply be busy with other prestigious affairs.

The post shows her and her eldest son dressed elegantly as they stood beside the POTUS and FLOTUS of the United States while posing for a photo at an event.

Jones has long led a busy lifestyle, as a past interview from 2020 with “Talk Stoop” host Nessa suggests. During the interview, the two women spoke about Jones’ incredibly busy schedule that involved balancing working six days a week with being a devoted mother of three.

In addition to working on “Today,” Jones had several other jobs, such as co-hosting a radio show with fellow “Today” anchor Al Roker and orchestrating a digital series where she would interview the moms of stars.

Other topics discussed included Jones divulging how she knew she wanted to work in the news industry since she was a little girl in fifth grade and was asked to draw a picture of what she wanted to be during a school career day.

With her recent absence from the TV screen, fans continue to express concern and wonder about what may be going on with Jones.