Sheinelle Jones Fills In for Hoda Kotb on 'Today' Show

Kotb has been covering for Savannah Guthrie as the investigation into her mother's disappearance continues.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 8:47am

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Sheinelle Jones stepped in to co-anchor the March 3 episode of NBC's 'Today' show, filling in for Hoda Kotb. Kotb has been filling in for Savannah Guthrie while Guthrie is away dealing with the ongoing investigation into her mother Nancy's disappearance in Tucson, Arizona. Kotb is not expected to rejoin the 'Today' show full-time, while Guthrie is expected to return on her own timeline.

Why it matters

The 'Today' show's hosting lineup has been disrupted as the Guthrie family deals with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. This has led to changes in the show's anchors, with Hoda Kotb and now Sheinelle Jones stepping in to fill the void left by Savannah Guthrie's absence.

The details

On the March 3 episode of 'Today', co-anchor Craig Melvin announced that Sheinelle Jones would be filling in for Hoda Kotb, who has been covering for Savannah Guthrie. Guthrie has been away from the show as the investigation into her mother's disappearance in Tucson, Arizona continues. Kotb had been in the anchor role since taking over for Guthrie, but was absent on March 3, leading to Jones' fill-in appearance.

  • On February 1, Nancy Guthrie was reported missing in Tucson, Arizona.
  • On February 2, Sheinelle Jones first stepped in to fill Savannah Guthrie's role on 'Today'.
  • The week of February 2, Jones remained in the 'Today' anchor role.
  • The following week, Hoda Kotb took over as Craig Melvin's co-anchor.
  • On March 3, Sheinelle Jones filled in for the absent Hoda Kotb on the 'Today' show.

The players

Sheinelle Jones

A co-anchor who filled in for Hoda Kotb on the March 3 episode of the 'Today' show.

Hoda Kotb

The 'Today' show co-anchor who has been filling in for Savannah Guthrie while Guthrie deals with the investigation into her mother's disappearance.

Savannah Guthrie

The 'Today' show co-anchor who has been absent from the show as the investigation into her mother Nancy's disappearance in Tucson, Arizona continues.

Nancy Guthrie

Savannah Guthrie's mother, who was reported missing in Tucson, Arizona on February 1.

Craig Melvin

A 'Today' show co-anchor who announced Sheinelle Jones' fill-in role on the March 3 episode.

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What they’re saying

“Welcome back to Today. Thank you so much for starting your Tuesday morning with us. Good to see all those folks out there. Good to see all of those yellow ribbons, as well, as we continue, of course, to think about our good friend Savannah.”

— Craig Melvin, Co-anchor

The takeaway

The disruption to the 'Today' show's hosting lineup highlights the personal challenges the Guthrie family is facing as they deal with the disappearance of Savannah's mother. It also demonstrates the flexibility and teamwork of the 'Today' show crew in adjusting to these unexpected circumstances.