The morning talk show host previously took a hiatus due to her mother’s disappearance, but has recently sparked speculation after several unexplained absences.
Unlike those mind-numbing Wordle puzzles, Savannah Guthrie breaks it all down for us.
The longtime Today show host, who has sparked speculation with several unexplained absences, appeared on the morning talk show on Thursday, July 16, to discuss her situation.
Guthrie, who was announced as the host of NBC’s next Wordle game show in May, announced he would take a short hiatus from “Today” as production progresses on the new series.
“I’ll be heading out to film Wardle over the next few weeks,” said Guthrie, 54. “We’re going to be filming the whole season and we’re really excited about it.[We]can’t wait for everyone to see it. It’ll probably air in the new year.”
Mr. Guthrie’s announcement comes a week after the Emmy Award-winning television journalist missed consecutive appearances on the “Today” show. On July 8, Today with Jenna & Sheinelle co-host Sheinelle Jones covered Guthrie with Craig Melvin, and fellow Today anchor Laura Jarrett filled her slot on July 9. The reason for Guthrie’s absence was not disclosed on either show.
Jarrett replaced Guthrie again on July 10th, followed by Jones on July 13th. The “Today” host returned to the news desk on Tuesday, July 14, saying Melvin had returned after a “well-deserved break.”
This isn’t the first time Guthrie has taken time off from Studio 1A to work on Wordle. In June, the news personality was absent from an episode because he was “starting a production meeting” for an upcoming game show, Melvin explained at the time.
The NBC competition series, produced by “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon, challenges players to “solve five-letter word puzzles in an epic battle of smarts, speed and fun.” In the show’s May 11 announcement, Guthrie revealed that filming for the pilot was scheduled to take place in March, but was postponed due to the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, in February.
“When something happened to me and my family, they stopped everything and said we’ll wait for you,” Guthrie thanked Fallon and the other producers.
Savannah Guthrie’s latest ‘Today’ show hiatus comes months after her mother’s disappearance
Guthrie abruptly quit the “Today” show in February after his mother, Nancy Guthrie, disappeared after she was apparently kidnapped from her home in Arizona.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31 in the Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson. In February, the FBI released an image showing an armed person fiddling with a camera at Nancy’s front door before her disappearance, but the suspect in the image has not been identified.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the disappearance of an elderly woman who they believe was taken from her home against her will. Guthrie’s family has announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her recovery.
In a July 1 statement to CBS Tucson affiliate KOLD-TV, the “Today” host spoke candidly about the emotional burden of his mother’s disappearance.
“It’s been five months of suffering and endless trauma for our family,” Guthrie said. “There is not a moment that goes by that we are not actively trying to find her mother. Thank you to the people of Tucson for keeping her in their hearts, and to both the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office for working tirelessly on behalf of our family. Let’s bring her home.”
Contributed by Kelly Lawler and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
