Savannah Guthrie was back in the 'Today' show anchor chair on Thursday, May 7, just one day after making an abrupt and unexplained exit from the programme that left viewers concerned. She was joined by Willie Geist at the desk and appeared to be in good spirits, discussing the new 'Legally Blonde' prequel series 'Elle' at the top of the show. Her return came as a relief to many fans who had been left wondering what had prompted her sudden departure the day before.
"I know, I love Legally Blonde. I connect with this character and now we get to see her in high school," Guthrie said, also noting that she had once dressed as Reese Witherspoon's character Elle Woods for the show's Halloween special.
What Happened During Savannah Guthrie's Abrupt Exit on Wednesday
Viewers of the NBC morning show grew concerned during Wednesday's episode when Guthrie made an unexpected exit around 30 minutes before the show was due to end. At 8:30 am local time, her co-anchor Craig Melvin was out on the 'Today' Show Plaza alongside Jenna Bush Hager, Sheinelle Jones, Carson Daly and Dylan Dreyer, when he announced, "Savannah had to leave a little early. She will be right back here tomorrow though."
The moment was made all the more notable by the presence of one of Guthrie's former high school teachers, who had shown up on the Plaza with a sign featuring throwback photos of the anchor. Bush Hager pointed out the personalised poster, asking the teacher whether Guthrie had been a great student. "Oh yeah, great student," the teacher replied.
Savannah Guthrie's Return Following Her Mother's Abduction
According to a report by PEOPLE, Guthrie's Wednesday exit came just over a month after she returned to the anchor desk following an extended leave of absence. Her absence had been prompted by the abduction of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who was taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona in the early morning hours of February 1. In the months since, no official suspects have been identified in the case.
The investigation has remained in the spotlight this week after comments from FBI Director Kash Patel surfaced, in which he condemned how Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos handled the early days of the case. "The first 48 hours of anyone's disappearance are the most critical. For four days, we were kept out of the investigation," Patel said. He also claimed he had launched hundreds of agents and intelligence staff to Phoenix and Tucson specifically for the case.
Nanos responded in a statement on X, saying the department remains committed to a thorough, coordinated and fact-based investigation and will continue working closely with federal partners.
Savannah Guthrie's Emotional Words on Returning to 'Today'
Prior to her return, Guthrie sat down for an emotional interview with Hoda Kotb, in which she opened up about learning her mother was missing and the investigation that has followed. "I will not fall apart. I will not let whoever did this take my children's mother from them. I will not let them take my joy," she said through tears.
She also addressed her decision to return to work despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding her mother's whereabouts. "It's hard to imagine doing it because it's such a place of joy and lightness and I can't come back and try to be something that I'm not," she said. "But I can't not come back because it's my family. I think it's part of my purpose right now. I want to smile. And when I do, it will be real. And my joy will be my protest. My joy will be my answer."
