Deborah Roberts: First Husband, Height, Net Worth, Illness, Children, Age & More

Deborah Roberts is an award-winning American television journalist best known for her work with ABC News, particularly 20/20, Good Morning America, and World News Tonight. She has built a journalism career spanning more than four decades, beginning in local television before moving to NBC News and eventually joining ABC News in 1995.

Roberts is also widely recognized as the wife of longtime Today weather anchor Al Roker. The couple married in 1995 and have two children together.

Quick Facts About Deborah Roberts

●      Full name: Deborah Ann Roberts

●      Date of birth: September 20, 1960

●      Age: 65

●      Birthplace: Perry, Georgia, U.S.

●      Nationality: American

●      Profession: Journalist, correspondent

●      Education: University of Georgia

●      Degree: Bachelor of Journalism

●      Husband: Al Roker

●      Marriage: September 16, 1995

●      Children: Leila Roker and Nicholas Roker

●      Stepdaughter: Courtney Roker Laga

●      Employer: ABC News

●      Known for: 20/20, Good Morning America, World News Tonight

●      Years active: 1982–present

ABC News identifies Roberts as an ABC News correspondent and co-anchor of 20/20.

How Old Is Deborah Roberts?

Deborah Roberts was born on September 20, 1960, in Perry, Georgia.

She is 65 years old and will turn 66 in September 2026.

Roberts grew up in a large family in Georgia. In a 2025 interview with AARP, she described growing up with six sisters and two brothers, making nine children in the family.

Her upbringing in Perry played an important role in shaping her perspective as a journalist and storyteller.

What Is Deborah Roberts' Real Name?

Her full name is Deborah Ann Roberts.

She has used the professional name Deborah Roberts throughout her television journalism career.

Where Was Deborah Roberts Born?

Deborah Roberts was born in Perry, Georgia, a small city in central Georgia.

Her parents were Benjamin Roberts and Ruth Roberts. Her father was a business owner, while her mother was a homemaker.

Roberts has frequently spoken about her large family and the influence of her parents.

Where Did Deborah Roberts Go to College?

Roberts attended the University of Georgia, where she graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor of Journalism from the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Her professional success came quickly after graduation. In 1992, the University of Georgia awarded her its Distinguished Alumnus Award in recognition of her accomplishments in journalism.

Who Is Deborah Roberts' First Husband?

There is no reliable public evidence that Deborah Roberts had a first husband before Al Roker.

Roberts married Al Roker on September 16, 1995, and reputable biographies and relationship histories identify Roker as her husband.

Who Is Deborah Roberts' Husband?

Deborah Roberts' husband is Al Roker, the longtime NBC television personality and weather anchor.

The couple met while both were working at NBC. According to published accounts, they first met in 1990, when Roker joined Today and Roberts was already working as a reporter. They began dating in 1992.

They married on September 16, 1995, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan.

They have now been married for more than three decades.

When Did Deborah Roberts and Al Roker Get Married?

Roberts and Roker married on September 16, 1995.

The wedding took place at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York City.

In 2024, Roker and Roberts celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary, with Roker sharing photographs from their wedding day and reflecting on their long marriage.

How Many Children Does Deborah Roberts Have?

Deborah Roberts and Al Roker have two children together:

●      Leila Ruth Roker, born November 17, 1998

●      Nicholas Albert Roker, born July 18, 2002

ABC News identifies Roberts as the mother of two children with Roker.

Who Is Deborah Roberts' Daughter?

Deborah Roberts' daughter is Leila Ruth Roker.

Leila was born on November 17, 1998, and is Roberts and Roker's first child together. She later graduated from the American University of Paris in 2022.

Leila has occasionally appeared with her parents at family events.

Who Is Deborah Roberts' Son?

Roberts' son is Nicholas Albert Roker, commonly known as Nick.

He was born on July 18, 2002.

Nick has been open about being on the autism spectrum, and both Roker and Roberts have discussed parenting him and celebrating his achievements.

In 2026, Roberts continued to share occasional family moments involving Nick, including a summer lake outing.

Does Deborah Roberts Have a Stepdaughter?

Yes.

Through her marriage to Al Roker, Roberts is also stepmother to Courtney Roker Laga.

Courtney is Roker's daughter from his previous marriage to Alice Bell. She was born in 1987, before Roker married Roberts.

Therefore, the Roker family includes three children:

●      Courtney Roker Laga

●      Leila Roker

●      Nicholas Roker

Only Leila and Nicholas are Roberts' biological children.

How Tall Is Deborah Roberts?

Deborah Roberts is approximately 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 metres).

What Is Deborah Roberts' Net Worth?

Celebrity Net Worth currently lists $70 million, but importantly, the site explicitly describes that figure as a combined net worth with her husband, Al Roker, rather than Roberts' individual fortune.

What Is Deborah Roberts' Salary?

Her estimated annual salary is around $800,000, but this is not an official ABC News figure and should not be presented as fact.

Is Deborah Roberts Ill?

There is no reliable evidence that Deborah Roberts currently has a major illness.

Roker has dealt publicly with prostate cancer and later serious blood-clot-related health problems. Roberts has spoken extensively about supporting him through those experiences.

Therefore, claims that Deborah Roberts herself has prostate cancer, blood clots, or another illness are incorrect.

What Illness Has Deborah Roberts Dealt With?

Roberts has publicly discussed the health challenges faced by her parents and her husband, rather than announcing a comparable major illness of her own.

In 2006, ABC News reported on her family's experience caring for her aging parents. Her father, Benjamin Roberts, had colon cancer, while her mother, Ruth Roberts, had arthritis and dementia.

More recently, Roberts has become particularly visible discussing Al Roker's health journey.

What Happened to Al Roker's Health?

Roker was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020.

He subsequently underwent surgery, and in 2021 reported that the cancer was considered undetectable.

Then, in late 2022, Roker was hospitalized after developing blood clots in his leg and lungs. His condition became serious enough that Roberts later described the situation as "very, very critical."

Roker credited Roberts with being an important advocate during his recovery.

Roberts has subsequently used her experience to speak about the importance of family members advocating for loved ones during medical crises.

What Is Deborah Roberts Known For?

Deborah Roberts is best known for her extensive work as an ABC News correspondent and 20/20 co-anchor.

ABC News says she reports for:

●      20/20

●      Good Morning America

●      World News Tonight

●      Nightline

She has also served as a substitute anchor and guest co-host on The View.

Her reporting has taken her around the world and covered subjects including politics, social issues, health, race, family and international affairs.

When Did Deborah Roberts Start Her Journalism Career?

Roberts began her television journalism career in 1982 at WTVM-TV in Columbus, Georgia.

She subsequently worked at WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she covered the state legislature.

She then moved to Orlando, Florida, where she worked at WFTV-TV.

When Did Deborah Roberts Join NBC News?

Roberts joined NBC News in 1990 as a general-assignment correspondent.

She worked from NBC's Atlanta and Miami bureaus and eventually became a correspondent for Dateline NBC.

During her NBC years, she reported from some major international events, including the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Her Olympic reporting earned her an Emmy nomination.

When Did Deborah Roberts Join ABC News?

Roberts joined ABC News in June 1995.

She became a correspondent for 20/20 and subsequently took on a variety of reporting and anchoring responsibilities across the network.

Her career at ABC has now lasted more than three decades.

Is Deborah Roberts Still on 20/20?

Yes.

ABC News currently identifies Roberts as a correspondent and co-anchor of 20/20.

She continues to contribute to ABC News programming and remains an active television journalist.

Her work has included major interviews and long-form reports dealing with social and political issues.

What Awards Has Deborah Roberts Won?

Roberts has received significant recognition for her journalism.

ABC News reports that she has won multiple Emmy Awards for national and international coverage. Her work has included reporting on:

●      The HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa

●      Maternal mortality in Bangladesh

●      The inauguration of Barack Obama

●      International human-interest stories

She also won a Peabody Award for the 20/20 special "Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor."

Her journalism has therefore been recognized at some of the industry's highest levels.

What Books Has Deborah Roberts Written?

Roberts is also an author.

She wrote Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life, which became a New York Times bestseller.

She also co-authored Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Times with Al Roker.

The book explores marriage, family life, parenting, and the experiences the couple has encountered throughout their relationship.

In 2025, Roberts also published Sisters Loved and Treasured: Stories of Unbreakable Bonds, a book reflecting on her relationship with her six sisters and the experience of growing up in a large Georgia family.

How Many Siblings Does Deborah Roberts Have?

Deborah Roberts grew up in an exceptionally large family.

She has six sisters and two brothers, meaning she is one of nine children.

Her 2025 book Sisters Loved and Treasured focuses heavily on the unique bond she shares with her sisters.

Deborah Roberts Career Timeline

Year    Career milestone

1960    Born in Perry, Georgia

1982    Began journalism career at WTVM-TV

1980s  Worked at WBIR-TV in Knoxville

1987    Joined WFTV in Orlando

1990    Joined NBC News

1990s  Became a Dateline NBC correspondent

1995    Joined ABC News

1995    Married Al Roker

1998    Daughter Leila was born

2002    Son Nicholas was born

2006    Shared her family's caregiving story with ABC

2016    Co-authored Been There, Done That

2020    Received Peabody recognition as part of 20/20 coverage

2023    Became 20/20 co-anchor

2025    Published Sisters Loved and Treasured

2026    Continues working with ABC News

Her career history is documented by ABC News and the University of Georgia.

Conclusion

Deborah Roberts has built one of the longest careers in American network journalism. After starting at a local Georgia television station in 1982, she worked her way through regional television, NBC News and Dateline NBC before joining ABC News in 1995.

She has since become a familiar face on 20/20, Good Morning America, World News Tonight and other ABC programs, earning multiple Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award during her career.

Her personal life is equally notable. Roberts married Al Roker in 1995, and the couple have two children, Leila and Nicholas. She is also stepmother to Roker's daughter Courtney.

Today, at 65, Roberts remains active at ABC News, continuing a journalism career that has lasted more than 40 years.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What illness does Deborah Roberts have?

There is no reliably documented major illness or chronic medical condition affecting Deborah Roberts in her current public biographies. ABC News identifies her as an active senior national affairs correspondent and 20/20 co-anchor.

Some online searches may confuse Deborah Roberts' health with the medical issues experienced by her husband, Al Roker, who has publicly discussed several health problems. Those should not be attributed to Roberts.

2. Does Deborah Roberts have any biological children?

Yes. Deborah Roberts has two biological children with her husband, Al Roker: daughter Leila Roker, born in 1998, and son Nicholas “Nick” Roker, born in 2002. ABC News confirms that Roberts and Roker have two children together.

Al Roker also has an older daughter, Courtney, from his previous marriage to Alice Bell. Courtney is therefore Roberts' stepdaughter, not her biological child.

3. What is the age difference between Al Roker and Deborah Roberts?

Al Roker is approximately five years older than Deborah Roberts. Roberts was born on September 20, 1960, while Roker was born on August 20, 1954. Because their birthdays fall about one month apart, the age difference is just under six years—roughly 5 years and 11 months.

4. How rich is Deborah Roberts?

Deborah Roberts' individual net worth is not publicly verified. Celebrity Net Worth currently estimates $70 million as a combined net worth for Roberts and her husband, Al Roker, rather than $70 million belonging solely to Roberts.