Savannah Guthrie to Return to ‘Today’ After Family Crisis, Says Experience Has Changed Her

Savannah Guthrie is set to return to Today on April 6 following a two-month absence tied to the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie.

The longtime morning show anchor stepped away from the broadcast in late January after her family reported that her 84-year-old mother had gone missing. Since then, Guthrie has remained in Arizona, where she has been closely involved in the ongoing search and investigation.

In a recent interview with former co-anchor Hoda Kotb, Guthrie spoke candidly about returning to television after what she described as a deeply destabilizing experience: “I don’t know if I can do it,” she said. “I don’t know if I’ll belong anymore. But I would like to try.” She added that the situation has fundamentally changed her perspective, acknowledging that she will not return as the same person she was before. “I’m not going to be the same,” Guthrie said, referencing the emotional toll of the past two months.

Guthrie joined Today in 2011 and became co-anchor the following year, establishing herself as one of the program’s central figures. Her absence marked a significant shift for the show, which has relied on a consistent hosting lineup for much of the past decade.

During her time away, Kotb temporarily returned to help fill the gap, conducting Guthrie’s first interview since the disappearance and supporting coverage of the case. Kotb, who departed the show in 2025 after nearly 20 years, had worked alongside Guthrie for close to a decade.

Guthrie described the challenge of returning to a program known for its lighter tone while carrying the weight of an unresolved personal crisis. “It’s such a place of joy and lightness,” she said. “I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not.” At the same time, she emphasized the importance of the show in her life, referring to it as both a professional home and a source of support. “I can’t not come back,” she added. “It’s my family.”

The investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains ongoing. Authorities have focused in part on video footage from a residential doorbell camera that appears to show an unidentified individual near her home on the night she was last seen, Jan. 31. The figure is reportedly masked and armed, though officials have not publicly confirmed details about the individual’s identity or intent.

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, have received more than 13,000 tips related to the case. Several persons of interest have been questioned, but no arrests have been made, and no definitive leads have emerged.

In an effort to generate additional information, Guthrie’s family has offered a $1 million reward for Nancy’s safe return, in addition to a $100,000 reward announced by federal authorities.

Despite the lack of resolution, Guthrie indicated that returning to work is part of an effort to move forward while continuing to search for answers. She acknowledged uncertainty about how the transition will unfold but expressed a willingness to re-engage with her role.