Dr. Jen appears on ‘Today’ twice, but her future on TV is unclear

Jen Ashton, the former chief medical correspondent at ABC News, has made two appearances on NBC’s “Today” in the past two weeks, triggering speculation on if she’s planning a full or part-time return to TV. 

Ashton first appeared on “Today” Oct. 2, 2026. She made a second appearance Oct. 26, 2026, both times being introduced as a health expert.

NBC has been quiet about her appearances and if they could signal a potential long-term deal with the network. NCS has reached out to NBC for comment. 

While some outlets are running news of Ashton’s appearances under clickbait-style headlines implying she may have joined NBC in a more permanent role, there has been no official word from her or NBC on that.

Ashton, who rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic and her appearances on ABC News, left the network in June 2024. She became known as simply “Dr. Jen” to many viewers.

Since then, she has launched a women’s wellness brand called Ajenda. 

Ashton could simply be serving in a contributor-style role where she is paid per appearance. This arrangement could help avoid a more direct conflict of interest between her “Today” segments and Ajenda.

It’s not clear if Ashton could continue lending her name to Ajenda if she were to come on board full-time given the close ties to the subject matter she’d be discussing and the brand. 

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There’s also been no word on whether Ashton has even expressed interest in such a role. 

Hoda Kotb, who left the main “Today” anchor desk in January 2025, went on to launch Joy 101, a media, wellness and community brand aimed at helping subscribers build daily joyful habits. At the time, NBC said she would remain with the network in an unspecified role.

She has since returned to “Today” to fill in at the anchor desk and to promote Joy 101 and other projects she’s involved with. 

Ashton is a board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is also board-certified in obesity medicine. She attended Columbia University’s medical school, completed her residency at what is now Mount Sinai Morningside and also holds a seperate master’s degree in nutrition.