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| Savannah Guthrie |
Reports are emerging in media outlets suggesting that Savannah Guthrie may never return to her role as co-anchor on NBC's Today show, amid the ongoing disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie.
The speculation stems primarily from anonymous industry insiders and TV executives cited in recent articles (as of February 19-20, 2026).
Key points include:
- Multiple veteran TV executives told the newsletter Status News that Guthrie is unlikely to come back, with one stating bluntly, "There’s no way Savannah’s coming back," and adding, "I can’t imagine she would even want to." This view is echoed in coverage by Page Six, Daily Mail, The Daily Beast, RadarOnline, and others, attributing doubts to the traumatic, highly public nature of her mother's apparent abduction.
- Guthrie has been absent from Today since February 1, 2026, when Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home near Tucson, Arizona. The case is treated as an abduction, involving FBI investigation, ransom demands (including bitcoin), security footage of a masked individual, and recent discoveries like unrelated DNA evidence at the scene. The search has expanded, including international outreach.
- Sources indicate Guthrie believes her high-profile job and past on-air features about her mother may have contributed to the targeting, raising family safety concerns (including for her husband, siblings, and children). Some reports note she was already on medical leave earlier in 2026 for vocal cord surgery (nodules and a polyp), but the family crisis has extended her hiatus indefinitely.
- NBC and Today have not confirmed any permanent departure.
- Coverage emphasizes support for Guthrie during this "unimaginable personal ordeal," while noting the show's need to plan ahead given its massive ad revenue (around $315 million in 2025). Substitutes like Hoda Kotb have filled in, but no long-term replacement has been named, partly to avoid alienating loyal viewers.
- Earlier reports (mid-February) from NewsNation's Paula Froelich described Guthrie as weighing a permanent exit and predicted she might not return for "at least three to six months... if ever."
These are based on insider speculation rather than official statements from Guthrie or NBC. The situation remains fluid as the search for Nancy Guthrie continues, with no resolution yet. Guthrie has shared emotional public pleas for her mother's safe return via social media and statements read on air.