‘Today' Show Co-Host's Husband Dies at 45 After Cancer Battle
Today show co-host Sheinelle Jones' husband Uche Ojeh has died aged 45 after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
The news was announced 'with profound sadness' by Jones' co-host Savannah Guthrie, who battled back tears in her eyes during an emotional segment on Friday's edition of the NBC morning show.
'We talk a lot about how this place is like a family, and this morning we have some heartbreaking news about someone who is very dear to us here at Today,' she said.
'So let's take a deep breath. With profound sadness we share that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and Today co-host Sheinelle Jones has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children.
'Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him. And so we want to take a moment to tell you more about the remarkable man who was Sheinelle's perfect partner in life.'
Ojeh, whose full name is Uchechukwuka Adenola Ojeh, first met Jones in college when he was a freshman giving campus tours and she was a high school senior. They married in 2007 after he proposed to her on the school's campus and were married for 18 years.
The couple have three children together—son Kaylin, 15, and twins Clara and Uche, 12.
'He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud,' said fellow presenter Craig Melvin, a close friend of Ojeh's. 'He was that dad that was on the sideline of every soccer game. He was at all of the concerts and the recitals. He was that guy.'
'He was a private guy but he was wickedly funny,' he added. 'He would say things that caught you off guard but wasn't braggadocious or anything. He was a humble man.'
Jones, who joined the network in 2014, stepped back from hosting the Today show in mid-December, later explaining on Instagram she needed 'time to deal with a family health matter.'
'I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I've been absent from the show,' she wrote. 'It's not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my Today show family, but to also have all of you. Your kindness means so much to me. I'll see you soon.'
Friday's edition on the Today show included a video package which paid tribute to Ojeh's life, narrated by Guthrie.
'He was her perfect match; a man whose joyful spirit and quiet strength complemented Sheinelle in every way,' she said. 'Uche was the kind of person who brought life, warm and joy to every room.'
'Family, friends, and his deep and abiding faith were always his true north,' she added. 'He was an enthusiastic soccer player, sang in his church choir and was devoted to his Nigerian heritage, instilling in their children a deep connection to his cultural roots.'
'Today with heavy hearts we celebrate his life. Devoted husband, loving father and a man whose generosity of spirit touched all who knew him.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lorne Michaels Speaks From the Heart, Investigative Reporters Sound the Alarm on Trump Upheaval at Peabody Awards
Peabody Award winners sounded the alarm on the threats to democratic norms, criminal justice reform and forward progress in diversity and inclusion goals as the 85th annual kudos were handed out Sunday in Beverly Hills. Meanwhile, 'Saturday Night Live' chief Lorne Michaels spoke from the heart as he accepted the Peabody's Institutional Award for his enduring NBC sketch comedy series. It's the sixth Peabody in total collected by the storied late-night show that bowed in 1975. More from Variety Andrea Mitchell on Rebuilding Faith in the News Media: 'Trust Is the Coin of the Realm, and We Have to Be the Gold Standard' Jeffrey P. Jones on Why the Peabody Awards Are America's Archive of TV Excellence Lorne Michaels Banned Chris Farley From 'SNL' for 'Weeks at a Time' to Help Him Get Off 'the Drinking and the Drugs': He 'Clearly Had Addiction Issues' Referring to the 'SNL50' specials that aired in February, Michaels said, 'All those people coming back from the first season on, all being in one room performing and applauding was one of the most moving experiences of my life.' Michaels, 84, also made what seemed to be an oblique nod to the endless churn of speculation about the long-term plan for the show. 'I'm not planning a sixtieth,' he said after referencing 'SNL50.' 'Getting to do what I get to do is sort of everything that makes me happy. Also makes me angry,' he said. Michaels closed with a shout-out to the Peabody Awards, which are administered by the University of Georgia's George Foster Peabody School of Communications. 'When you come to the Peabodys, unlike other awards shows, you know you're in the right room. It's really an honor to be here, so thank you,' he said. There were also numerous calls for support of public media and opposition to Trump administration efforts to gut federal funding for PBS, NPR and other public media and arts program. The larger subject of the administration's effort to slash federal spending in general was also decried by numerous winners as a violation of cherished democratic norms. Dave Biscobing, chief investigative reporter for the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, was hailed for his years-long dedication to producing a 32-part series that uncovered systemic police brutality and racism in local policing. Just a few days ago, Trump's Justice Department has 'retracted' an earlier report that documented Biscobing's work. 'They can retract the report, they can erase their words but they'll never erase what we did,' Biscobing told the crowd. 'Not as long as all of us are here. Not as long as there are people like us to tell stories that matter.' Matthew Hashiguchi, the journalist behind the in-depth report 'The Only Doctor' for the Reel South public media station, referenced the growing crisis in rural health care as he took in the kudo for his deep-dive report on the woman is the only physician around in a wide swath of rural Georgia's Clay County. Dr. Karen Kinsell was on hand with Hashiguichi and received the first standing ovation of the night. Hashiguchi emphasized that she has no choice but to treat anyone in need regardless of their ability to pay. 'If Medicaid is cut, we're going to need more people like her,' he warned. The power of TV to affect change around the world was also highlighted with the kudo presented to 'Mr. Bates Vs. the Post Office.' The British narrative drama was an expose of the scandal that engulfed the nation's Post Office system in the early aughts, and law enforcement's ruthless pursuit of everyday people despite evidence of their innocence. Public reaction to 'Mr. Bates' was so strong that there was retroactive efforts to bring justice to those wrongly accused even 20 years later. Producers James Strong and Patrick Spence 'Such is the power of television. Such is the power of a nation brought to rage by such a naked abuse of power,' said producer Patrick Spence, who accepted with James Strong. 'May that be an inspiration to all of us.' More to come (Pictured: Dave Biscobing, investigative reporter in Phoenix, accepts his Peabody for his 32-part series 'Policing Phoenix') Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Amazon's NASCAR broadcasts are already putting Fox's efforts to shame
Amazon Prime is already setting the standard for NASCAR broadcasts. Hopefully Fox is taking notes. Sunday's Cup Series race at Nashville — won by Ryan Blaney — was the second Amazon race of the season after the internet behemoth made its NASCAR broadcasting debut at the Coca-Cola 600. So far, its two telecasts have been sharp, professional, devoid of nonsense and informative. Simply put, it's the type of coverage that NASCAR fans deserve. Advertisement Look, complaining about TV coverage is rote at this point. Fans of every sport can easily nitpick broadcasts and there are significant subsets of every fanbase that thinks broadcasters are biased against their favorite team. But NASCAR fans have been dealt a tough hand in recent years. As Fox is in its third decade of covering NASCAR, it's felt all too often like the network is mailing it in. Nearly 25 years ago, Fox was in the same position Amazon is in. The network's first NASCAR Cup Series race was the fateful 2001 Daytona 500. Fox's entry into the NASCAR world was a pivot point for the sanctioning body. It had officially gone mainstream. The early Fox years were glorious. Especially compared to other broadcasts. Fox set the standard for what NASCAR coverage should be, even if you weren't a fan of 'Digger' and the embedded camera on the apron in the corners of racetracks across the country. Advertisement But something has changed in recent years. We're not the only ones who have noticed, either. NBC's coverage has put Fox's to shame since the network took over the second half of the season from ESPN and Fox hasn't upped its game. Kevin Harvick is an insightful analyst. But he can't overcome the hokeyness that permeates Fox's broadcasts. To be fair, Amazon isn't starting from scratch. Like Fox, the streamer acquired NFL rights before it jumped into NASCAR. And its booth of Adam Alexander, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte have plenty of experience calling races. Alexander has been a main Xfinity Series play-by-play voice for years, and Junior and Letarte form the best analyst pairing in NASCAR from their years at NBC. The two worked together as driver and crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports and their chemistry is apparent on screen. Advertisement But Amazon is nailing the production details that Fox isn't. The broadcast is all about the race and doesn't feature myriad cutaways to children watching in the grandstands. The camera shots follow what the booth is talking about. The graphics and picture quality are markedly better. There are no full-screen commercial breaks during green flag racing. And Amazon hasn't gone to commercial with less than 10 laps to go. It's been a breath of fresh air for the NASCAR fans who have been able to watch. It's no secret that NASCAR's audience skews older than most other professional sports and the viewership gains that NASCAR saw in the 18-49 demographic during the 600 came at the vast expense of those 50 and over. But it's also no secret that streaming is the new cable and how we'll consume most of our sports content in the near future. NASCAR was smart to add Amazon to the mix with its new media rights deal. Trading fewer younger viewers for more older viewers is the right play, especially as Formula 1 is the trendy motorsport among those not eligible for Medicare. Ideally, Amazon will continue to build off how good its first two race broadcasts were and Fox, NBC and TNT — back in the NASCAR game this year — will aspire to meet Amazon's standard. But we won't blame you if you're pessimistic about that ideal world ever happening. We're all worn down by the past decade of Fox's NASCAR broadcasts.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
White House may ‘jazz up' Trump's briefings as he ‘doesn't like reading'
The White House's intelligence chief is said to be considering turning Donald Trump's routine briefings into a Fox News-style broadcast, with animations of exploding bombs, to make it easier for him to follow. Tulsi Gabbard is looking to revamp the president's daily brief so it mirrors a television broadcast because 'he doesn't read', NBC News reported, having spoken to five people with direct knowledge of the discussion. One idea includes hiring a Fox News producer to produce a briefing that could include maps and animations of exploding bombs. Currently, the president's daily brief is a digital document that includes written text as well as graphics and images. Mr Trump has read the daily brief 14 times since his inauguration, or on average less than once a week – less than his predecessors. 'The problem with Trump is that he doesn't read,' one source told NBC. 'He's on broadcast all the time.' Ms Gabbard believes that cadence and a distrust of intelligence officials, which stretches back to his first term, may reflect his preference for consuming information in a different form, the sources said. They also said that even if the presentation of the president's daily brief changes, the information included would not. Asked for comment, Olivia Coleman, the press secretary of the director of national intelligence, said in a statement: 'This so-called reporting is laughable, absurd and flat-out false. In true fake news fashion, NBC is publishing yet another anonymously sourced false story.' The president's daily brief was tailored for Mr Trump in his first term to include less text and more pictures. Ms Gabbard is said to have discussed more changes, including entertaining some unconventional ideas, as part of reforming the briefing. Davis Ingle, a White House spokesman, said: 'President Trump has assembled a world-class intelligence team, who he is constantly communicating with and receiving real time updates on all pressing national security issues. 'Ensuring the safety and security of the American people is President Trump's number one priority.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
