Savannah Guthrie returned to the anchor desk at NBC’s “Today” show on Monday morning for the first time in more than two months, following her mother’s disappearance. She opened the broadcast with a brief acknowledgment of how it was “good to be back home” before moving into the day’s headlines.
“Here we go, ready or not,” Guthrie said. “Let’s do the news.”
Her return comes after the Feb. 1 disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, from her home near Tucson, Arizona. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have said they believe the 84-year-old was taken against her will. Blood was found near the residence and surveillance footage showed a masked individual on the porch.
The case remains unsolved. Officials said late last week that there were no significant updates and that tips had slowed. The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of her mother.
Guthrie has co-anchored “Today” since 2012. In her Monday morning broadcast at 7 a.m., she kept the focus on the news.
During the 8 a.m. hour of NBC’s “Today,” Guthrie joined colleagues on the Rockefeller Center studio plaza to greet fans and supporters, who held signs and wore yellow ribbons in support of her and her mother.
“I’ve received so many letters, so much kindness to me and my whole family. We feel it. We feel your prayers, so thank you so much,” she said. Al Roker offered her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
On Easter Sunday, Guthrie shared a video message with her New York church, sharing her experience with faith and grief in the disappearance of her mother.
Last week, in her first interview since her mother’s disappearance, Guthrie discussed the challenges of returning to work. “It’s hard to imagine doing it because it’s such a place of joy and lightness,” she said in an interview on “Today.” “I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not. But I can’t not come back because it’s my family.”
“Today” has seen a ratings boost over the past two months, surpassing ABC’s “Good Morning America” as the leader in morning show ratings.
“Today” averaged 3.1 million viewers during the first three months of the year, up nearly 9 percent in an era when most broadcast programs lose viewers. NBC also aired the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics in February, and both events typically boost a morning show’s ratings.
“Good Morning America” averaged 2.93 million viewers, up 2 percent over 2025, while “CBS Mornings” fell 17 percent to 1.76 million, according to the Nielsen company.
Savannah’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, also made occasional appearances on “Today,” surprising her daughter on set for a cooking segment. In 2025, the two also filmed a special showcasing their favorite restaurants in Arizona.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
