Savannah Guthrie has had to deal with unfathomable heartbreak this year with the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother Nancy and, even though she’s returned to The Today Show, things reportedly aren't the same. How could they be? So many questions remain unanswered since the last time Nancy Guthrie was seen. For that reason it came as a surprise that Savannah has signed on to host the upcoming Wordle game show. And, apparently, the news has sparked concern amongst some of her NBC colleagues.
There is allegedly some fear from Savannah Guthrie’s friends and Today Show family that she’s pushing herself too hard, Naughty But Nice substack owner Rob Shuter says, especially after all she’s been through and the continued stress of both her personal and professional life. The gossip columnist reports:
People around Savannah are worried because she never stops. She’s grieving, she’s under pressure at Today, ratings are tightening, and instead of slowing down she keeps adding more work.
It’s unfortunate that Savannah Guthrie would have to worry about ratings right now, as she and her family still don’t know what happened on the night of January 31, when Nancy Guthrie was reportedly taken from her home against her will. Nancy’s whereabouts and condition are still unknown.
Yet NBC didn’t get the ratings bump it expected from Savannah Guthrie’s return in April, and The Today Show remains in tight competition with Good Morning America for that daytime audience. One source said now’s not the time for other projects to start pulling Guthrie’s attention. They said:
NBC desperately needs stability right now. When your biggest star starts branching out this aggressively, people naturally wonder if her focus is shifting away from the show.
Wordle aside, it sounds like the longtime NBC anchor has — quite understandably — had some rough moments on set since her first episode back on April 6, even sometimes getting emotional during commercial breaks. She also left suddenly from the May 6th edition of the morning show, returning the next day without explanation. Her emotional state allegedly has colleagues worried, as another insider reportedly told Shuter:
Savannah is trying to stay strong on-air, but this has rocked her deeply. Friends think work has become a coping mechanism. She’s filling every empty space with another project.
Remaining busy to keep from thinking about your grief is definitely something that many people do, and it’s hard to see this news about Wordle and not suspect that’s part of her reasoning for taking on more work. However, Rob Shuter says nobody at The Today Show doubts her abilities or blames her for taking a new opportunity, with yet another insider apparently saying:
She’s one of the hardest-working people in television. The fear isn’t that she’ll fail — it’s that she’s carrying too much for too long.
Wordle will be produced by Jimmy Fallon, reportedly to air on NBC in 2027. Savannah Guthrie is apparently a dedicated Wordle player, so the decision to cast her as the new game show’s host makes sense in that regard. It just sounds like those around her want to also make sure she’s not taking on more than she can handle during these difficult times.
Stay tuned for more updates on Savannah Guthrie and Wordle.
