'Today' Show Anchors Announce Longtime Member's Exit on the Air

By Allison Schonter

The Today show is getting a behind-the-scenes change soon, with a longtime show member set to exit the NBC morning program. During Monday morning's 3rd Hour Today broadcast, co-hosts Sheinelle Jones, Jacob Sobroff, and Dylan Dreyer bid farewell to longtime stagehand Sal Cacciato, who thankfully won't be venturing very far from Studio 1A.

Cacciato's exit was announced during the morning program, with Jones calling Cacciato down as she told viewers that she was "so sad," adding, "I don't want to do it." As Cacciato joined Jones, Sobroff, and Dreyer, Jones told fans, "So this is why we have Sal out here today. So Sal has been a stagehand here at the Today show for 14 years. So after today, he's leaving Studio 1A." Noting that Cacciato is "a performer. He's a singer. He's a renaissance man" who once even "did a musical with Kathie Lee Gifford," Jones revealed that Cacciato is "not going far. He's heading across the street to be the Head of Props in Studio 6A." 50 West 50th Street, not far from Studio 1A's location at 49 West 49th Street, Studio 6A is the location for the filming of titles like The Kids Tonight Show, the Friday editions of All In with Chris Hayes, and Maya Marty.

"It's going to be great," Cacciato said of his new adventure. "I just want to say thank you guys, and thank you to my Today show family. I've been here for such a long time, and I love you all. All the great had here. I won't be far, though."

News of Cacciato's departure from Studio 1A was met with plenty of responses from fans. As the Today show shared video of the on-air moment, writing, "We'll miss you, Sal. Congrats on your new adventure," fans flocked to comment, with one viewer tweeting, "What a cool story! Good luck!" Somebody else commented, "What a moment," also adding, "This man is a great singer too, nice."

Cacciato's exit comes amid a difficult time for the Today show cast. Longtime weatherman Al Roker has experienced health issues over the past several weeks that resulted in numerous hospitalizations and his absence from the morning program, although the show announced Tuesday that Roker is set to make his return to the morning show on Friday. "He'll be right here in Studio 1A," Savannah Guthrie said on Tuesday. "This is his place. He'll be in his seat right where he belongs. We cannot wait for that." Co-host Melvin Gordon added, "And we will be back together." Guthrie gushed that "our sunshine" would be back Friday morning.

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