‘Today’ Weatherman Al Roker Recovering After Emergency Surgery

Today weatherman Al Roker is recovering after having to have an unexpected emergency surgery.

PEOPLE reports that Roker wound up in the care of doctors after needing “emergency carpal tunnel surgery” following an issue with his thumb that reportedly emerged during the rehearsals for Waitress, which is to be his Broadway debut.

“It had just gotten progressively worse to the point where Thursday, I lost use of my thumb during rehearsals,” Roker shared on Today.

Doctors scheduled his surgery for the following day, which he underwent while under the influence of general anesthetic.

“I didn’t want to see anything, know anything,” Roker said, then joking, “Just wanted to wake up dazed and confused — just a regular day for me!”

Roker’s Today co-host Hoda Kotb then expressed that she was both impressed and not surprised that he returned to work only one day after his surgery.

“Only Roker has surgery yesterday and comes in today and is going to be on Broadway Friday,” she said with a laugh.

“Well you know, things are slow,” the weatherman quipped back.

Roker is in a hurry to get better so that he can make his Broadway debut as Ol’ Joe, the gruff diner owner, in Waitress. He’ll be singing a song, “Take It From an Old Man,” and will likely have his bandages off by his debut night.

“That’s not stopping,” he said of his plans for the role, going on to joke, “They are putting an ace bandage around my mouth [though] because they’ve heard my singing.”

Waitress is a Broadway musical that was written by singer Sara Bareilles. It “tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a waitress in an abusive relationship with her husband Earl.”

Jenna eventually becomes pregnant unexpectedly, and also begins having an affair with Dr. Jim Pomatter, her gynecologist. In a search for any way out of her chaotic situation, Jenna comes across a pie contest and begins to see its grand prize as her way of moving on to a new life.

Waitress was nominated for four Tony awards in 2016, as well as the Best Musical Theater Album Grammy award in 2017.

Roker announced his addition to the cast in early September, joking that he was “going to be singing” but asking fans to remember that “beauty is in the pie of the beholder!”

“I have less than one month to prepare,” he added. “I think as a singer, I’m a terrific weatherman.”

Roker will be appearing in the show starting Friday, Oct. 5 and staying on until Nov. 11.