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
On Thursday, Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of the NBC morning show ‘TODAY,’ returned to the studio to reunite with her colleagues. This move coincides with the ongoing search for her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing for 32 days. A spokesperson for the show noted that Guthrie’s visit was intended to express gratitude to her team and provide emotional support during this challenging time.
“Guthrie visited the studio to connect with her team and thank them for their support,” the spokesperson said. “While she intends to return to the show, her focus remains on her family and the effort to locate Nancy.”
Guthrie was last seen on Feb. 1, after dinner at her daughter Annie’s home in Tucson. She had not appeared at a friend’s residence to attend an online church service, prompting authorities to launch an investigation. The case is currently under consideration as a possible kidnapping or abduction, though evidence has been limited.
Jenna Bush Hager, a co-anchor on ‘TODAY,’ shared her emotions during the broadcast. “Savannah said returning to the show is the hardest thing for her, but it’s also where she feels most at home and cherished,” Hager explained. Sheinelle Jones, who co-hosted the third hour of the program, added: “We’re not out of the storm, but there’s a light somewhere even in the midst of the storm.”
“I think her coming here and just being with us, for us to be able to hug her, is a step forward,” Jones said. “I told her, ‘Whenever you’re ready, we’re here.'”
Images captured outside the ‘TODAY’ studio by an Associated Press photographer showed Guthrie visibly emotional, wiping tears and hugging her coworkers. The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her mother’s recovery. Guthrie emphasized this during a Feb. 24 press conference, stating: “While we believe Nancy can come home, we also know she may be lost, and we may already be too late.”
The FBI recently retrieved footage from a doorbell camera that depicted an armed and masked man near Guthrie’s home the morning of her disappearance. Though the individual is now considered a suspect, their identity has not been disclosed. The agency is seeking a male between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an average build, who was seen carrying a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
Senior reporter Daniel Arkin of NBC News provided updates on the case and its developments.
