Why Al Roker Has Been Absent From ‘Today’ For Over 1 Week
What To Know
- Al Roker has been absent from NBC’s Today show for over a week while Dylan Dreyer fills in for him.
- During his break, Roker celebrated his wife Deborah Roberts’ new book release and shared updates about his restful activities and family moments.
- Roker hinted at his return to Today soon, likely before the show’s annual Halloween episode.
Al Roker has been missing from NBC’s Today.
The weatherman has been notably absent from the morning show for over a week, last appearing on the October 14 episode. Roker’s recent absence coincided with Today‘s first-ever Fan Fest event, which kicked off on October 20.
Dylan Dreyer continued to fill in for Roker on Monday, October 27. Roker, however, teased that he will be back on the show this week in a Friday, October 24, Instagram post. And it seems he is simply taking time off to relax and enjoy the season.
“I have always appreciated #fall as one of the more underrated seasons. But when I get to wake up and look outside and see what God and nature presents to us, I try to breathe deeply and appreciate it,” he wrote alongside a time-lapse video of the fall foliage in his backyard. “A chance to recharge and reinvest in yourself and those around you. Hope you have a great #weekend. See you next week on @todayshow.”
Amid his relaxing break, Roker celebrated his wife Deborah Roberts‘ new book, Sisters Loved and Treasured: Stories of Unbreakable Bonds, by putting together a delicious homemade meal.
“Tonight, in honor of the release of @debrobertsabc new book, Sisters, Loved And Cherished and her four sisters appearing this morning on that other morning show, I made sure they had a good family dinner of #lasagne and an #applegalette,” he captioned Tuesday, October 21, Instagram pics of his home-cooked creations, as well as pics of himself watching Roberts promote her book on Good Morning America.
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Roberts later joined her husband on a morning walk on Sunday, October 26. “Just a beautiful #sundaymorning here in the #hudsonvalley I had to have a little #talkwithmyself to get up and out, but got it done,” he captioned an Instagram clip of the pair’s morning workout. “I hope you’re resting, recharging and restoring today. And remember, what’s our @starttoday_ mantra? #somethingisbetterthannothing.”
In another Sunday Instagram post, Roker told fans he had “nothing planned” for the day. “Hope you can carve out a little nothing time for yourself,” he added.
Though Roker did not specify his Today return date, he will likely be back in Studio 1A before this year’s Halloween episode on Friday, October 31. Roker and his colleagues are known for celebrating the spooky holiday by sporting elaborate and detailed group costumes.
Last year, Roker teamed up with Dreyer to transform into Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz, respectively, from the 1988 classic film Beetlejuice.
Earlier this year, Roker reflected on his Today journey ahead of his 30th anniversary on the show next year in an exclusive interview with TV Insider. “To be working on the longest-running television morning show, it is just mind-boggling,” he shared last month. “The idea that my dad worked for the New York City Transit Authority, and I’ve worked almost twice as long for NBC than my dad worked as a bus driver dispatcher and management person in the transit. It’s still mind-boggling.”
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