Sheinelle Jones has spoken out regarding her recent absence from the “Today” show.

The popular co-anchor of NBC’s morning show’s third hour has been missing for several weeks. On Wednesday, she revealed that she is taking a break from “Today” to concentrate on her family. According to her announcement, it seems she is not leaving her position at NBC.

“Hello everyone. I am truly grateful for all of you who have reached out while I’ve been away from the show. I want to let you know that I’m taking time off to manage a family health issue,” Jones shared in an Instagram post Wednesday morning.

“I know how fortunate I am to have the support of my Today Show family, as well as all of you. Your kindness means the world to me. I’ll be back soon,” she concluded her message with “Love, Sheinelle.”

Where is Sheinelle Jones? ‘Today’ show’s Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin discuss her absence

On Wednesday’s broadcast of the “Today” show, Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin directed the audience to Jones’ Instagram update for her personal explanation regarding her absence.

“She posted on Instagram this morning to inform everyone that she’s been taking time off to focus on personal family health matters,” Guthrie said. “She expressed her gratitude for all the kindness and concern shown to her. Many of you have been asking about Sheinelle and we miss her too.”

Melvin reassured Jones, saying, “We all love you, and we can’t wait to have you back.”

Jones sparked curiosity when she missed the high-profile farewell event for former “Today” main co-anchor Hoda Kotb, who co-hosted with Guthrie. The event, known as a “Hoda-bration,” featured tributes from “Today” team members, excluding Jones.

Jones is a mother of three children with her husband Uche Ojeh: her eldest son Kayin, 15, and her 12-year-old twin daughters, Clara and Uche Jr.

A graduate of the renowned Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Jones became part of the “Today” team in 2014 after nearly ten years at Fox 29 News in Philadelphia, where she co-hosted the morning show “Good Day Philadelphia” alongside local TV icon Mike Jerrick. She currently co-hosts the third hour of “Today” with Melvin, Al Roker, and weather anchor Dylan Dreyer.

In addition, she leads the well-received “Wild Child” segments showcasing baby animals globally for NBC’s “The More You Know” initiatives. In 2020, Jones took a temporary leave for health reasons, sharing her recovery journey following major vocal cord surgery with People magazine.

She explained to the outlet that the one-hour procedure rendered her voiceless for three weeks.

“It’s incredible how much effort I put in just to prepare for the morning show,” Jones stated. “When I get a call to track a story early, I wake up half an hour earlier to do throat exercises, just to avoid sounding hoarse.”

Sheinelle Jones’ absence coincides with Craig Melvin taking the helm of ‘Today’ alongside Savannah Guthrie

Jones’ absence coincides with a new chapter for “Today.” Kotb’s final day was Friday, and Jones’ fellow third-hour co-anchor Melvin was announced as her replacement back in November, marking the beginning of a fresh era for the show starting Monday.

Melvin, a well-established figure at the network, will now host the first two hours of the NBC morning show alongside longtime co-anchor Guthrie, a transition that commenced this week, while he continues on the third hour.

Melvin started his new position by expressing his gratitude and enthusiasm for stepping into the host’s role.

“You’ve sat in that chair many times, but this morning feels unique. Let’s go; this is going to be an incredible journey,” Guthrie said to Craig.

“And there’s no one else I’d rather take this ride with than you, so let’s do it,” Melvin replied.

Contributing: Anika Reed, Taijuan Moorman