Savannah Guthrie returns to ‘Today’ after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance
Savannah Guthrie returned as host of the NBC morning show for the first time in more than two months.
Savannah Guthrie is back where millions of people have seen her many times before, and nothing will ever be the same.
The “Today” anchor, long a fun and steady face on the long-running morning show, has been absent for more than two months due to the disappearance of his 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie. But now she’s back.
The 54-year-old journalist returned to the NBC morning show on Monday, April 6, wearing a yellow dress and visibly emotional. Surrounded by viewers wearing yellow ribbon stickers commemorating her missing mother and fans holding “Welcome Home, Savannah” signs, Guthrie read the morning’s biggest headlines. “It’s good to be home,” she went on to tell her coach, Craig Melvin, who said, “It’s good to be home.”
“Let’s go. Ready or not, let’s report the news,” Guthrie added with a smile.
A search continues for Guthrie’s mother, but she has not been found. She was reported missing from her Arizona home on Sunday, February 1, and authorities who have been searching for the 84-year-old since then said they believe she was taken from her home against her will. In February, the FBI released an image of a masked suspect at Guthrie’s front door before she disappeared, but the person in the image has not been identified.
A horrifying series of events has put Savannah Guthrie, who has been delivering the news to millions of people every morning from Studio 1A since joining Today in 2011, at the center of one of the year’s biggest news stories. She released tearful videos and interviews begging for her mother’s return, giving fans a raw and emotional look. As the days turned into weeks and months, it became clear that Guthrie would now make a decision about what to do with his life, even if his mother’s fate was not settled.
She expressed that she chose “today” to return to her “home” and “family.” What was it like to watch her try to find normalcy on the morning news?
How was Guthrie’s return? Did she do it normally?
Gasly remained professional and calm during his return, despite clearly still going through emotional turmoil. There were moments when viewers knew it wasn’t exactly “back to normal,” including a high-five with co-anchor Craig Melvin after the first hour, signs of support from fans outside the studio, and all of the cast members wearing some form of yellow to show their support for Guthrie. At 7:30 a.m. ET, the anchors joined Carson Daly and Al Roker in cheering Guthrie on for about 40 viewers gathered at Rockefeller Plaza. “I’m so excited to get everyone’s hugs and see them,” she said with emotion in her voice. “I feel so much love, thank you.”
At 8:30 a.m., Guthrie and her colleagues went outside to greet supporters. Craig Melvin said today was a “special Monday morning” as he “welcomed the return of the North Star”. Guthrie then came out arm-in-arm with Jenna Bush Hager and waved to the crowd. The two were also seen sharing a long hug before heading out.
But aside from those small irregular moments, “today” continued as usual. There was also hard news, like updates on the Iran war and the Artemis II space mission, and pop culture tidbits, like clips from this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live.” Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager interviewed the doctor and author about the effects of perimenopause on women in their 30s and 40s, providing the audience with valuable insight into this turbulent time. Time passed smoothly without any incident. Guthrie truly felt like “home” and made me feel very welcome.
Guthrie returned to ‘Today’ without answering anything about his mother.
Guthrie returned to “Today” after an emotional interview with longtime co-host Hoda Kotb, which aired in multiple episodes on NBC starting March 26. He explained that he decided to return despite the lack of progress in the search for Nancy.
“It’s hard to imagine doing that, because it’s such a place of joy and brightness,” Guthrie said. “I can’t come back and try to be something I’m not. But I can’t not go back, because that’s my family. I think that’s part of my purpose now. I want to smile, so it’s real. My joy becomes my protest. My joy becomes my answer. And it’s fun to be there.”
Judging by her demeanor on the April 6 broadcast, it was clear Guthrie was feeling the joy. She laughed and laughed and expressed her heartfelt emotions. Nothing felt fake or forced, and the show didn’t focus on Guthrie’s trauma any more than necessary. The anchor is a veteran newswoman and journalist, and her return show was a definitive way for her to step back from the center of the headlines.
For Guthrie, returning for one show is a big milestone, but the real test is getting up early on weekdays and sticking with it. She is not the first member of Today’s “Family” to return after heartbreak, tragedy, and hardship. From cancer to the death of a spouse to mental health issues, the hosts have had their share of tough battles over the years. But they all came back with grace and determination to do their jobs.
Based on his work so far, Gasly appears ready for a long run on “Today.” And the show will be better because of it.
Contributors: Brendan Morrow, Taijuan Moorman, Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY
