“Today” host Savannah Guthrie has been away from her hosting gig for more than three weeks as her mom, Nancy Guthrie, remains missing.
While NBC is not pressuring her to return to work, Guthrie will not be giving up her job amid the family tragedy, according to a new report.
Savannah Guthrie Not ‘Walking Away’ From ‘Today’ Show
On Monday, February 23, 22 days since Savannah’s mother’s disappearance, Rob Shuter reported that “stepping away [from work] permanently is not an option.”
“Her mom sacrificed everything so Savannah could chase this career. Walking away now would feel like letting the darkness win,” an unnamed friend of Savannah’s told Shuter for his Naughty but Nice Substack.
Savannah has been a cohost on “Today” for nearly 15 years, after first joining NBC News in September 2007.
“Savannah has spent decades building her path to the anchor chair of America’s number one morning show. Friends say she refuses to allow tragedy to define the rest of her story,” Shuter explained.
A separate source told the reporter, “It’s going to be emotional. It’s going to be hard. But she will be back. In her mom’s honor.”
While she has no plans of giving up her seat at the hosting table, Guthrie was forced to back out of coverage for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. She was scheduled to fly to Italy with her cohosts to attend the Opening Ceremony earlier this month. However, NBC released a statement revealing Mary Carillo as Guthrie’s replacement.
“Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues,” an NBC Sports spokesperson said at the time.
NBC Stands Behind Savannah Guthrie
Shuter previously reported that NBC is putting “absolutely no pressure” on Guthrie to rush back to work.
“If this has anything to do with Savannah’s fame, she may never come back” to NBC, a source told Shuter for his February 8 Naughty but Nice Substack, one week into the investigation.
While a motive behind Nancy’s kidnapping remains unclear, the possibility that the abduction was a retaliation against the NBC star has not been ruled out.
“No job is worth risking your family,” the insider said at the time, with a network source adding, “There is absolutely no pressure on Savannah. None. She’s being told to take all the time she needs.”
“Behind the scenes, NBC is handling the situation with compassion and care,” the insider told Shuter.
