Hoda Kotb told Sheinelle Jones that co-hosting Today’s fourth hour would be more fun than she could imagine. About ten months into the job, Jones says, “It has been more amazing than I could have ever imagined.”
The 48-year-old broadcaster recalled their phone conversation in an interview with PEOPLE at the EBONY Power 100 Gala in Los Angeles on November 9. Kotb filled in for her alongside Jenna Bush Hager that morning.
Kotb pictured Jones one day giving a graduation speech about how the opportunity had changed her career. Jones had previously said her friend believed the move would be a good decision for her children, too.
Today with Jenna & Sheinelle launched on January 12, pairing Jones permanently with Bush Hager. Bush Hager had spent the previous year presenting Today with Jenna & Friends alongside rotating guests after Kotb stepped down from her regular hosting roles.
Her EBONY Honor Recalled a Childhood School Report
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At the Hollywood Palladium, Jones was recognized in the Media Mavens category. EBONY named her alongside broadcasters Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels, podcasters Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan, and Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee. The ceremony’s theme was “The Stories We Shape.”
The recognition reminded Jones of an early school assignment about someone she admired. While classmates chose figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Abraham Lincoln, she wrote about EBONY and Jet founder John H. Johnson. She researched EBONY’s November 1945 launch and glued his photograph into her report.
Jones called her mother to ask whether she remembered the project, and her mother did. In a November 10 Instagram post, Jones thanked the magazine and singled out fellow honoree Debbie Allen as someone she had admired since childhood. Her photographs showed her wearing a brown satin gown, jeweled headband and green earrings.
Jones Returned From Leave Before Her Appointment
NBC announced Jones as Bush Hager’s permanent partner in December 2025. She had joined the network in 2014, working on the weekend editions of Today before becoming a co-host of its third hour.
Jones had taken leave during her husband Uche Ojeh’s illness. He died in May 2025 from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, and she returned to the program in September.
For the announcement, Jones put on one of Ojeh’s shirts and said a prayer. “When I came back from leave, I talked about fighting for my joy. This is what it looks like,” she said, according to TV Insider.
Kotb and Gifford Surprised Her During the Premiere
Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford arrived for the first episode wearing Team USA jackets and holding hands. Kotb carried an oversized wine glass with a paper flame inside, which she passed to Bush Hager.
Jones wiped away tears as Gifford hugged her and joked about protecting her makeup. Kotb praised how the two new co-hosts looked together before the four women sat down to talk.
Elsewhere in the premiere, Jones recalled Ojeh encouraging her to host a talk show when they were in college. When Kotb announced her departure, he sent Jones supportive messages, despite being seriously ill himself.
Her First Book Explores Lessons From Mothers
Jones published her debut book, Through Mom’s Eyes, on April 14. The collection grew from her television interview series of the same name, in which she spoke to mothers about raising children who became prominent public figures.
She asked Lady Gaga’s mother about recognizing bullying and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s mother about staying present while balancing work and children. Stephen Curry’s mother shared her approach to chores, while Jones contributed her own perspective as a mother of three.
According to Penguin Random House, the book debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous bestseller list.
