In an emotionally charged debut, Sheinelle Jones presented the first episode of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle alongside Jenna Bush Hager, marking a new chapter for the long-running programme.
A New Era Begins
Monday's broadcast signalled the official start of the show's new format, with Jones stepping into the role previously held by Hoda Kotb. Kotb had announced her departure from the co-hosting seat in September 2024 and stepped down this past January.
During the opening segment, Jones became visibly overcome while revealing how her late husband, Uche Ojeh, had championed her for the role long before it became a reality. Ojeh, who passed away in May 2025 at age 45 following a battle with glioblastoma, had consistently encouraged her to pursue a talk show, an idea she had previously dismissed.
A Husband's Silent Encouragement
Jones shared a deeply personal story with viewers. She explained that after Kotb's departure was confirmed in September 2024, Ojeh—who was very ill and communicating largely through emojis at the time—sent her a text referencing the news.
"When Hoda announced that she was leaving he was really sick and so he wasn't talking as much, but I could talk to him and he would send me emojis and stuff like that and that's how we would talk," Jones recounted on air.
"The text I found from Uche from 2024... it was an article that Hoda was going to depart and he thought it was my turn to shine and to try." Fighting back tears, she admitted, "What you don't see is that I didn't respond to that. It didn't even register for me. Now it just feels like confirmation because here we are two years later and he's like 'told you!'"
Co-host Jenna Bush Hager was visibly moved, comforting Jones and wiping away her own tears. "I know he's looking down on you with your grandmother, who I know you just recently lost and they're probably dancing to our new song," Bush Hager said supportively.
A Time of Profound Loss
Jones's official first day as permanent co-host follows a period of immense personal tragedy. Just last week, the mother-of-three announced the sudden passing of her grandmother, Josephine Vonceal Pace Brown, who died on New Year's Eve at 96 years old.
This loss came only eight months after the death of her husband, Uche Ojeh, from glioblastoma—an aggressive form of brain or spinal cord cancer with no known cure, though treatable with radiation and chemotherapy. The couple married in 2007 and shared three children together.
The debut episode was filled with celebratory moments and surprises, including a visit from former co-host Hoda Kotb and comedian Kathy Griffin, who stopped by to "pass on the torch." The four women shared a glass of wine, toasting the programme's new era.
