Today’s host, Savannah Guthrie, abruptly left the show on April 15, 2026, shortly after introducing Hollywood star Anne Hathaway. Neither NBC nor the Today show addressed Guthrie’s sudden exit, leading to speculations among fans that it could be because of her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie.
Insider reveals reason why Savannah Guthrie left mid-show
Savannah Guthrie notably left the Today show in the middle of the broadcast after she introduced Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway. Guthrie introduced the guest, but when the show returned after the commercial break, Hoda Kotb had stepped in for Guthrie to talk to Hathaway. She asked her about her two upcoming projects, Mother Mary and The Devil Wears Prada 2.
An insider had previously told The Daily Mail that NBC has come up with a code word to inform Guthrie about any potential development in the case of her mother’s kidnapping. She would reportedly be told that she is “needed off set” if there was any development in the case.
“We would pull her immediately, mid-segment if we had to,” the source said, “She would understand that there was news about her mom and we’d take her into an office and tell her, at the same time that another anchor would report it as a breaking story.”
However, it turns out that there could be other reasons for Guthrie’s exit as well. As a second source explained to The Daily Mail, it was “not unusual for a host to tease an upcoming segment at any point, and for another host to do the interview.” So, it was perhaps a standard norm for Kotb to step up and conduct the interview.
Previously, Savannah Guthrie had been away for two months in the wake of her mother’s kidnapping. She returned on April 6, 2026, to rejoin the show. Meanwhile, the investigation surrounding the kidnapped Nancy Guthrie continues.
