Culture
Al Roker Opens Up About His Feelings on Possibly Retiring After 30 Years on Today
Al Roker States That Retirement Is Not in His Plans as He Celebrates 30 Years at Today
Al Roker is not planning to leave Today anytime soon. As he marks his 30th anniversary with the NBC morning show, the veteran weatherman revealed that retirement is not something he is currently thinking of.
“Well, let me explain it like this. Retirement is not something I’ve pondered,” Al told People in an interview published Jan. 27. “I basically, love my work. I feel well. I love this job. I’m very fond of it. Maybe there will come a time when I shall not do it any more. But I don’t think it is going to happen any time soon, so I just keep on working.”
Roker, 71, has been Today’s weather presenter since 1996. He had a daughter, Courtney, 36, with late ex-wife Alice Bell, and two children, Leila, 27, and Nick, 23, with wife Deborah Roberts. Though the show has changed over the years, Roker stated that he is thankful that his segment still remains an integral part of the audience’s daily habits.
Al Roker Thinks about Today’s Legacy and His Role in it
Al Roker also reflected on the continuing legacy of Today and how it has been a privilege to be part of the long-running show.
“I think that’s the wonderful thing about the show is that the mission for these 74 years has basically stayed the same,” he said. “We really are, in a way, temporary holders of this legacy. At some point, I will no longer be part of the show. There will be someone else, but being part of a pretty cool club is very special.”
Roker further remarked that he never thought of going to Today as something he had earned for himself. “Calling this my dream job is kind of off the mark because I never really thought that I could one day be on the Today show,” he explained.
Yet, as time passed, he managed to get over that hesitation. He acknowledges that co-workers like Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, and Sheinelle Jones often point out how crucial his kindness, lightheartedness, and thorough understanding of weather and climatology are to the continued success of the show.
Al Roker’s Today Colleagues Celebrate His 30th Anniversary With A Heartfelt Tribute
On a show filled with nothing but admiration, Al Roker’s co-hosts surprised the veteran meteorologist with a deeply affectionate tribute during the Jan. 27 airing of Today. The compilation of video footage, which ran for almost eight minutes, featured segments from the weatherman’s 30 years in the limelight that were his most memorable.
“Not only is he one of the faces of Today, but he is also a worldwide ambassador,” Craig Melvin said during the segment. Carson Daly agreed with the statement and added that it was “an incredible milestone” in Roker’s career.
Al Roker, who was deeply touched by the tribute, thanked his co-workers and his family for their support. “These family members of mine here are everything to me. I also think of my parents. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Allen and Isabel Roker,” he said, and then, speaking to the audience, he continued, “And all of you. It’s just been an honor.”
