Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today show on Monday — this time, for real (and for good).
The NBC News morning show’s longtime co-anchor was in her familiar chair next to Craig Melvin when the clock struck 7 a.m. ET. (OK, so technically she was there five minutes earlier for a live promo.) Time to go to work.
Wearing a cheery yellow dress, Guthrie opened with the latest news on Iran — including a potential ceasefire and the rescue mission to save two downed American airmen — as if it were any other day. It was not.
Then there were teases on gas prices to discuss, Artemis II, a weather tease, some Royals talk and the NCAA women’s basketball championship — congrats UCLA!
“It is good to be home,” Guthrie said.
“Yes, it is good to have you back at home,” Melvin said.
“OK, here we go. Ready or not, let’s do the news,” she said.
And then it was pretty much business as usual — early on, at least.
Guthrie has been absent from Today since her mother, Nancy Guthrie, was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home in the early morning hours of Feb. 1. The investigation, a cooperative effort between the Pima County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, has had fits and starts since then, but no suspect(s) has been identified. There has been no proof of life; Nancy Guthrie is 84 years old and in poor health.
Savannah Guthrie has stopped by the Today show twice since her mom went missing. The first time was in early March, and was really just a set visit to see friends and thank them for their support. The second time was for a sit-down interview with her longtime colleague Hoda Kotb. It was a tearful, lengthy conversation that aired in several parts over two days. In the interview, Savannah blamed her wealth and fame for Nancy’s abduction, though she added that the family cannot be certain of a motive at this point. She also said God spoke directly to her and stated that Nancy was “with me.” With the interview came the news: Savannah Guthrie would return to work on Monday, April 6.
More to come.
