Al Roker, 71, isn’t considering retirement anytime soon as he celebrates his 30th year on NBC’s hit morning show, Today.
Roker’s “Al-iversary” kicked off on the show Tuesday, with tributes, special guests and highlights from the last three decades.
In an interview with People magazine to mark the occasion, the weatherman spoke about what’s next for him and his career.
“Well, let’s put it this way. I haven’t thought about retirement,” he told the publication, before joking, “Somebody at NBC, that might be a different story.”
“I love what I do,” he added. “I feel good. I love this job. I love doing it. At some point, I guess I won’t be, but I don’t feel like that’s anytime soon, so I’m just gonna keep going.”
Roker went on to praise the entire Today team, from past to present news anchors.
“At some point I won’t be part of the show, somebody else will be, but to be part of a pretty cool club is very special. To say that this was a dream job isn’t really accurate because it never dawned on me that I could be on the Today show,” he said.
Although he hasn’t made plans to retire yet, Roker has thought about what he wants his legacy to be when he leaves.
“People, when they watch, that they didn’t feel like I wasted their time,” he said. “And that hopefully they felt better after watching than before.”
Roker joined Today as the weekday weather anchor in 1996, replacing longtime broadcaster Willard Scott, who died in 2021.
Throughout his years on Today, Roker has spoken openly about the health challenges he’s faced. In 2022, he was hospitalized with blood clots in his legs and lungs, forcing him to miss the annual Thanksgiving Day parade for the first time in 27 years.
After returning home, he ended up in the hospital one month later, with internal bleeding caused by ulcers. During that hospital stay, Roker was pulled into emergency surgery where his colon was resected and his gallbladder was removed.
He returned to the Today show in 2023 and explained more about what happened. “I lost half my blood. [My doctors] were trying to figure out where it was,” he told the show’s viewers about his time in the hospital. “I really do feel good. I’m sure I’m going to collapse like a stone after this is over because this is the first work I’ve done. It’s been a journey.”
He reflected on the experience in June, telling People how he managed to survive. “My doctor said if I had not been in the shape I had been, I would most likely not be here today,” he explained.
