Savannah Guthrie was absent from The Today Show for a second consecutive day on July 9 as her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, remains missing. Laura Jarrett joined Craig Melvin as co-anchor, following Sheinelle Jones, who filled in during the July 8 broadcast.
Savannah Guthrie’s latest Today Show absence explained
Though no official explanation has been given for Savannah’s absence, TMZ reports that the 54-year-old has stepped away from her hosting duties temporarily to spend time with her family. Her absence is unrelated to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of her mother.
According to Syracuse, her absence follows backlash against Today show producers, who were criticized for assigning the anchor to present a story about a missing man. During the July 6 episode, Savannah reported on the rescue of Rondy Packard, a 70-year-old man who had been missing in the California wilderness for six days before he was found alive.
The television journalist, who took a nearly two-month absence from the Today show following her mother’s disappearance and returned to the show on April 6, told KOLD 13 News on July 1, “There is not a moment that goes by that we aren’t actively trying to find our mom. We thank the people of Tucson for holding her in their hearts, as well as both the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office for their tireless work on behalf of our family. Bring her home.”
Nancy was last seen on the night of January 31 after arriving home from dining with family in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona. Surveillance footage from her home showed a masked individual, and authorities discovered her blood at the location. However, no suspect has been identified yet. According to the BBC, the family has offered a $1 million reward for information, alongside a $100,000 reward from the FBI.
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Originally reported by Meenakshi Sengupta for Reality Tea
