Al Roker's Marriage Isn't As Perfect As It Seems

To call Al Roker's career massively accomplished would be an understatement. With decades on the "Today" show, alongside 14 Emmys to his name and counting, Roker has firmly established himself as one of the most recognizable and beloved TV personalities in America. That being said, Roker's life story is not without tragedy. For example, something most people may not know about Roker is that he's been divorced not once, not twice. The weather presenter first married college sweetheart Mary Puglisi in 1976. It's unclear when the two split up, but they were clearly no longer together by 1984, as that's when Roker married his second wife Alice Bell. Sadly, they ultimately divorced too, in 1994, shortly before the media personality finally found Mrs. Right. Roker wed third wife Deborah Roberts in 1995, and the two have been happily married ever since. 

Even then, however, the relationship hasn't been without its rough patches — and their enduring union isn't nearly as effortless as it seems. "Oh, my gosh. I think the biggest thing is not to tell anybody that you have it figured out, because we don't," Roberts told The U.S. Sun in 2024, when asked about the secret to her and Roker's success. "We are working at it constantly. We are a work in progress," she continued, adding, "We've been married 28, almost 29 years. It's not easy. And life is all about growing and evolving and sometimes compromising and sometimes not." Roberts concluded, "So I don't know that there's any secret, but I think I desire to be committed and to work — makes a big difference." But what sort of conflicts have the longtime couple had to work through?

Al Roker had quite the weight loss journey back in the early 2000s, shedding a whopping 160 pounds. That being said, the "Today" show stalwart has spoken candidly about the difficulties of both starting and maintaining that journey, revealing that the weight gap between him and wife Deborah Roberts affected their marriage at one point too. As the beloved TV personality admitted to Today in 2013, him being overweight and doing little to change that didn't sit right with Roberts, who exercised regularly to stay in shape.

"She was upset about it, she was frustrated, she was angry. She thought, 'Why don't you care enough about yourself and why don't you care about me and our relationship enough to change?' And I said, 'Look, it's not about you. It's about me.' [...] That's what the person who isn't struggling needs to realize," Roker explained, noting that he simply had to reach the point where he wanted to make that change at his own pace. Still, it was tough. "It's a vicious cycle because now you feel judged and you're upset," the weather presenter shared. Fortunately, he eventually got there, and the couple even started exercising together.

Roberts was right by her husband's side throughout Roker's more recent health issues too, including his 2020 prostate cancer diagnosis. Speaking to People in 2025, Roker — who was declared cancer-free in 2021 — credited his wife with helping him both get through it and with raising awareness about the disease. "I think having an advocate, having somebody to advocate for you... having somebody who can ask the questions and the follow-ups and really make sure you're being taken care of makes a huge difference," he opined.