Willard Scott will be retiring from the "Today" show after 35 long years. Anchor Matt Lauren announced Friday morning that the 81-year-old weatherman will be retiring from NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday, Dec.15, according to People. He has been with the network for 65 years.
"'He is literally my second dad. I love that man,'-@AlRoker paying tribute to his mentor and hero, Willard Scott," the official "Today" show Twitter account wrote following the announcement.
"Bittersweet news for the TODAY family," the "Today" show wrote on Instagram. "Our friend Willard Scott is retiring. Tune in Tuesday as we honor him. #ThankYouWillard."
Scott joined the "Today" show as a weatherman in 1980, according to E! News. Roker then substituted for him in the 1990s and then became the show's main weather anchor in 1996, after which Scott took over his role whenever he was absent. He was most known for his "Milestone Birthdays" segment, in which he pays tribute to non-famous U.S. residents who turn 100 years old with the help of sponsor Smucker's jelly, which he is a celebrity spokesman for.
He is also associated with fast food chain McDonald's, having played the role of Ronald McDonald for the first time in the 1960s in a series of commercials.
"What an amazing 65 years," McDonald's wrote on Twitter Friday, paying tribute to Scott. "Congrats Willard Scott on an incredible career! And We remember where it all started!"
