Sheinelle Jones is getting a promotion.
The longtime Today personality has been named permanent co-host of the show’s fourth hour alongside Jenna Bush-Hager, NBC announced Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Jones will leave the 3rd Hour of Today to begin co-hosting the newly-titled Today With Jenna & Sheinelle on Jan. 12. Craig Melvin, Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer will continue to host the 9 a.m. hour.
Related: Sheinelle Jones Shares Struggle With Grief After Husband’s Death
After a year of fill-in hosts following Hoda Kotb’s exit, Jenna shared the news with viewers on Tuesday that her permanent co-host had been selected.
“I am so thrilled to announce I have found my forever friend and we are going to start a brand new journey in January,” Jenna said while fighting back tears. “You all know her, she’s an extraordinary broadcaster, but more importantly, she exemplifies exactly what this show is all about.”
Sheinelle was next shown on set and admitted she had tissues in her pocket in case she got emotional.
“To have a show like this is beyond my wildest dreams,” Sheinelle said. “This is the real deal, and I get to do it with Jenna.”
She also shared that Kotb had called her the night before to congratulate her.
“This marks an exciting new chapter for the fourth hour,” Today executive vice president Libby Leist and Jenna & Friends executive producer Talia Parkinson-Jones said in a joint statement.
“Jenna and Sheinelle are two extraordinary talents who have grown within the ranks of Today. They are beloved for their authenticity, warmth and genuine connection with our Today audience,” the pair added.
Earlier in her career, Jones worked in local TV news in Springfield, Illinois; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and in her hometown of Philadelphia. She joined Weekend Today in 2014, from WTXF-TV, Philadelphia’s Fox-owned affiliate.
She attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where she pledged the historically Black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha.
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