Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today show on Friday, January 23, 2026, after a three-week hiatus for vocal cord surgery, with her full-time return to the anchor desk scheduled for Monday, January 26.
The 54-year-old co-anchor is in good health and her voice has been restored following the procedure to repair a ruptured blood vessel on one vocal cord and a callus from overuse on the other. She documented her journey, including an emotional moment during a follow-up exam where she heard her smooth, post-surgery voice for the first time and tearfully said, "Good morning. Today is Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. I am using my voice for the first time and it sounds good. I could cry."
Entertainment reports the surgery lasted about an hour, after which Guthrie strictly followed doctor's orders with eight days of total silence. She later began voice therapy to strengthen her healed cords.
In a segment on her return, Guthrie shared a montage showing the gradual decline in her on-air voice quality leading up to the procedure. She described her cords as "beleaguered" and said she could no longer ignore the issue, prompting her to see a specialist.
Guthrie expressed deep gratitude to her Today colleagues and NBC bosses for their support during her absence, noting that taking three weeks off was "a big, big deal."
She added, "I'm so grateful to be back, and I'm ready to go."Earlier in the week, she briefly rejoined her co-anchors via video while still on limited vocal rest, allowed to speak only 5–10 minutes per hour.
Guthrie first announced her need for surgery on December 19, 2025, her last day on air before the break.