Anchor Returns to Show After Mother’s Disappearance

Savannah Guthrie, a co-anchor for the NBC flagship morning program TODAY, returns to her position on April 6, 2026. This marks her first appearance on the show since early February 2026, when she stepped away from her duties following the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie.

Guthrie has served as a co-anchor for the program since 2012. Her return to the studio comes after more than two months of investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, who was last seen on the night of January 31, 2026.

Details of the Disappearance

Nancy Guthrie was reported missing around noon on February 1, 2026, after she failed to attend virtual church services at a friend’s home. According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, she was last seen at approximately 9:45 p.m. On January 31, 2026, following dinner at the home of her daughter, Annie Guthrie, near Tucson, Arizona.

Authorities have characterized the case as a possible abduction or kidnapping. As of April 6, 2026, Nancy Guthrie remains missing.

Return to Professional Duties

Guthrie’s decision to resume her role as co-anchor follows a period of personal grief and an ongoing search for her mother. In an interview conducted last month with NBC colleague Hoda Kotb, Guthrie stated that she felt returning to the anchor desk was part of my purpose right now.

Guthrie noted that her mother’s own resilience served as an inspiration for her return to work. She referenced her mother’s experience as a single mother of three children after the death of Savannah’s father, Charles Guthrie, who died at age 49.

“I saw her grieve, I saw her world shatter. I saw it, and I saw her get up,”

Savannah Guthrie

Despite the decision to return, Guthrie expressed uncertainty regarding the transition back to a workplace she associates with joy and lightness while questions about her mother’s whereabouts persist.

“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,”

Savannah Guthrie

The return was previously announced on the March 27, 2026, broadcast of the show by co-anchor Craig Melvin, who stated that the cast was waiting to welcome her back to Studio 1A.

Context and Personal Faith

During an Easter church service on April 5, 2026, Guthrie spoke about her Christian faith, stating I still believe while discussing how her beliefs have been tested throughout the search for her mother.

The search for Nancy Guthrie has drawn significant public attention in Tucson, Arizona. On March 6, 2026, a banner featuring notes from hundreds of well-wishers was displayed outside the KVOA newsroom, and religious cards were left at Nancy Guthrie’s home.