James Van Der Beek Postpones Today Show Appearance Due To Pink Eye

James Van Der Beek missed out on aTodayshow appearance for a reason relatable to anyone with kids.

According to NBC’s schedule for the weekthe dad of six was set to appear on the Friday, Dec. 5 edition ofTodayto talk about his cancer journey.

TheDawson’s Creekalum revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.

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On Friday afternoon, the actor went on Instagram to explain his absence, posting a photo of himself and one of his children. Van Der Beek shares daughters Olivia15, Annabel11, Emilia9, and Gwendolyn6, and sons Joshua13, and Jeremiah2, with his wife Kimberly.

“Tell me you have kids without telling me you have kids,” Van Der Beek wrote over the photo. “Having to postpone a @today show appearance because of pink eye 😂.”

He then apologized again to theTodayshow and Craig Melvinwho holds the show’s top anchor seat.

“Sorry @today @craigmelvinnbc for having to push,” he wrote. “Pink eye(s) almost cleared up. See you Dec. 17 😊.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionpink eye, or conjunctivitis, is one of the “most common and treatable eye conditions,” but it is “very contagious.”

In September, Van Der Beek announced that he would be absent from aDawson’s Creekreunion eventciting health struggles.

“This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January,” he wrote in a

. “So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment.”

“Despite every effort… I won’t get to be there. I won’t get to stand on that stage and thank every soul in the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, when I needed it most,” the message continued.

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Van Der Beek will be returning to TV in the near future, though, as he announced in May that he had officially been cast as a recurring guest star in the upcomingLegally Blondeprequel series,Elle.