Al Roker Will Finally Return To The Today Show
In November 2020, Al Roker announced his cancer diagnosis. "After a routine checkup in September, it turns out I have prostate cancer," he said on the "Today" show. He mentioned that it was a "good news, bad news" situation — the good news being that the cancer was caught early, the bad news being that it was "a little aggressive." He concluded his statement by saying he was going to take some time off of the show to prioritize his health.
Two weeks later, Roker returned to the "Today" show studio. He first thanked the surgeons and doctors providing him with care, before expressing gratitude for all of the love and support he's gotten from his co-workers, friends, and family. "I feel good, I really do," he said, adding that he's been trying to exercise to get to full strength (via YouTube).
The morning news anchor also provided an update on his health while on the "Kelly Clarkson Show," revealing that they removed the cancer in surgery. "What I'm going to be doing is getting tested every six months for the next five years," he said. "If that turns out well, then it's once a year, testing for the rest of my life." Roker added that he wanted to "go public" with his story in order to encourage people to get tested for cancer. However, this turned out to be just the beginning of a lengthy journey of continuous health updates, culminating in Roker's upcoming return to the "Today" show.
Al Roker will be returning to the Today show on January 6
On November 18, Al Roker — who previously opened up about his hardest health struggle — gave concerned fans an update on why he had been absent from the "Today" show. "Last week I was admitted to the hospital with a blood clot in my leg which sent some clots into my lungs," he wrote in an Instagram post. "Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers and hope to see you soon."
Since then, the "Today" show anchor has made occasional appearances on the morning news show as he recovered. "Listen, it's been a tough slog, I'm not going to deny this," he said a month after he was admitted to the hospital. "It's been the hardest one yet, and you know I've had my share of surgeries." He mentioned that he felt lucky to have supportive people by his side and said he was working on getting his strength back after losing some muscle mass. "I've got a number of issues, but I feel good, I feel strong, and every day I feel a little bit better," he added.
On January 3, the show's anchors announced that Roker will be returning soon. "He's obviously been in the hospital and dealt with health issues," Savannah Guthrie said, adding that following Roker's at-home recovery over the last few weeks, they had "great news" to share. "Al is coming back to the show." Hoda Kotb added that Roker's return is expected to be on January 6.