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Today host Savannah Guthrie has been missing from the broadcast for the last couple of days. Given the uncertain circumstances surrounding her mother Nancy Guthrie’s mysterious disappearance in January, it’s understandable that fans would be concerned. Craig Melvin has given an update on why his co-host has been off since Tuesday–she’s simply working on something else this week.
Guthrie Is Working On Another Show
Melvin announced on Wednesday that Guthrie was “on assignment,” and that assignment is connected to another show that was announced in May. Melvin told the audience (via USA Today) that Guthrie is:
Starting production meetings on the Wordle game show coming to NBC later this year.
Melvin added:
So happy that Sheinelle [Jones] is here while Savannah is on assignment
Wordle was announced on May 11. Guthrie is teaming up with Jimmy Fallon’s production company, Electric Hot Dog, and The New York Times to bring the viral game to the small screen later this year. Fallon is serving as an executive producer, and Guthrie is hosting. It joins Password in Fallon’s growing stable of game shows, and given the wild popularity of Wordle, it seems like a safe bet for a hit show.
The New York Times (which owns the game) describes the prime time game show as an extension of the game, using the same style, colors, and classic NYT fonts to recreate the puzzles with contestants competing for cash prizes. A pilot for the show was filmed late in 2025, but production, which will take place in Manchester, England, has been delayed due to Nancy Guthrie’s suspected kidnapping.
Guthrie Has Been Absent A Lot In 2026
After her mother’s apparent kidnapping, Guthrie took a leave of absence from her job at Today to assist in the case and be with her family. She returned in April and has been juggling her time at the desk with staying in touch with investigators in Arizona, where her mother was last seen on January 31st. Never one to shy away from work, it appears she’s diving headlong into this show.
From a personal perspective, it seems Guthrie is glad to have the distraction of work to keep her mind off her mom’s situation, if just for a few hours each day. A recent report emphasized that her emotions are never far from the surface, which is completely understandable. Her fellow Today cohorts have been completely supportive of Guthrie, with Al Roker making a touching connection between Guthrie’s return to the show and Easter just before Guthrie joined the team again.
While Guthrie missed a couple of months in the wake of her mother’s disappearance, this latest absence is completely work-related and certainly doesn’t seem like an extended break from Today. As for Wordle, there is no news on when the game show will debut, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it start sometime later this summer, when the main crew on Today takes their annual summer break. Hopefully some good news about Nancy Guthrie will come before that.
