Kotb will continue to co-anchor NBC’s Today show as Savannah Guthrie remains away from the broadcast following the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie. Multiple reports confirm that Kotb will stay at the anchor desk alongside Craig Melvin for the time being.
Kotb stepped back into the role on February 6, filling in during an incredibly difficult time for her longtime colleague and friend. The move comes just weeks after Kotb officially departed the show at the start of January 2025.
Although she left her full-time position earlier this year, Kotb has made occasional appearances on Today since her exit. She had co-hosted the morning show with Guthrie since 2018, becoming one of the most recognizable duos in morning television.
In September 2024, Kotb announced she would be leaving the show at the beginning of 2025. In a heartfelt memo to staffers, she shared that the decision came after deep reflection.
“They say two things can be right at the same time, and I’m feeling that so deeply right now. I love you and it’s time for me to leave the show,” she wrote. “I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while – Am I truly ready? But, my sixtieth birthday celebration on the Plaza felt like a shift. Like a massive, joyful YES, you are!”
Kotb explained that while her broadcast career had been “beyond meaningful,” she felt called to focus more on her family. “A new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie,” she added.
Now, she is temporarily balancing both worlds — returning to support her Today family while Guthrie faces a personal crisis.
The search for Nancy Guthrie has entered its fifth week. In a recently released video, Savannah Guthrie spoke directly to the public, sharing that her family is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her mother’s whereabouts.
“We still believe in a miracle. We still believe that she can come home, hope against hope,” Guthrie said emotionally. Quoting her sister, she added, “We are blowing on the embers of hope.”
At the same time, Guthrie acknowledged the painful uncertainty the family is enduring.
“She may already be gone,” she said. “She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves and is dancing in heaven with her mom and her dad and with her beloved brother Pierce and with our daddy. If this is what is to be, then we will accept it, but we need to know where she is. We need her to come home.”
For now, Kotb’s return offers viewers a sense of continuity during a deeply emotional chapter for the Today show family. As the search continues, colleagues and fans alike are rallying around Guthrie and her loved ones — holding on to hope while awaiting answers.
Tags:
News
