Sam Amico
Al Roker is returning to the airwaves after a health scare landed him in the hospital for an extended amount of time.
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Today co-anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Craig Melvin announced Roker’s return, saying perhaps the most popular weatherman in history will be back on the air at the end of the week.
“Well, we have our day. 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. We cannot wait for that,” Kotb said, via Entertainment Weekly.
Al Roker Shares Update!
Guthrie added: “Not the same without Al. Our sunshine is coming back Friday morning.”
Roker, 68, was in the hospital several times near the end of 2022 for complications that arose as a result of blood clots. He recently updated viewers in a video segment that aired on Today in mid-December. He called 2022 and the multiple surgeries all part of his hardest year.
“This has been the hardest one yet, and you know, I’ve had my fair share of surgeries,” he said. “But it gives you a profound sense of gratitude for this outpouring of prayers and thanks. I’m a very fortunate person.”
He added at the time, “I feel good, I feel strong. And every day, I feel a little bit better.”
It appears he’s feeling much more fit, given what he said was his criteria for returning to the show.
“You lose a certain amount of muscle mass for every week you’re in the hospital, and I was in the hospital for four weeks,” he said. “So it’s just a certain amount of weakness. … I’ve got to just get my strength back.”
