Savannah Guthrie visits ‘TODAY’ studio as she plans to eventually return to show

Savannah Guthrie Visits ‘TODAY’ Studio as She Plans to Eventually Return to Show

Savannah Guthrie, a co-anchor of the NBC morning show, made a brief appearance at the TODAY studio on Thursday. Her visit came as the search for her missing 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, entered its 32nd day. The case remains active, with authorities considering the possibility of a kidnapping or abduction.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on Feb. 1 after dinner at her daughter Annie’s home in Tucson, Arizona. She failed to arrive at a friend’s residence for an online church service that evening, sparking concern. The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to their mother’s recovery.

“Savannah Guthrie stopped by the studio this morning to be with and thank her TODAY colleagues,” a show spokesperson stated. “While she plans to return to the show on air, she remains focused right now supporting her family and working to help bring Nancy home.”

Though the visit wasn’t televised, it marked a significant moment for the team. Jenna Bush Hager, a co-anchor, shared her emotional reaction during the broadcast. “She said that she has the intention to return to the show, even though it feels like the hardest thing to do, it’s also her home and where she feels so loved,” Hager explained.

Sheinelle Jones, Hager’s co-host for the third hour of TODAY, added, “We’re not out of the storm, but there’s a light somewhere even in the midst of the storm.” Jones emphasized the support from the cast: “Whenever you are ready, we are here.”

Images from outside the TODAY studio, captured by an Associated Press photographer, show Savannah Guthrie wiping tears and hugging her colleagues. The FBI recovered doorbell camera footage of an armed and masked individual near the Guthrie home on the morning of Nancy’s disappearance. That person has been identified as a suspect, though no public name has been released.

The suspect in the footage is described as a male between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an average build. He was seen wearing a black, 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack. Daniel Arkin, a senior reporter at NBC News, covered the developments in the case.