Savannah Guthrie announced that she would be stepping away from The Today Show once again, but this time it was for an exciting new television project. The longtime NBC anchor revealed she would be taking a temporary leave to film the network’s upcoming Wordle game show, which she was set to host.
The brief departure followed several months of personal and professional changes for Guthrie, who had previously taken time away from the morning show earlier this year amid the ongoing investigation into her mother Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. This latest absence, however, had nothing to do with that case.
Savannah revealed she is taking another temporary leave to host NBC’s new Wordle game show
During the July 16 broadcast of Today, Guthrie shared the news with viewers and her co-hosts. She said, “We’re about to do it. Guys, I’m headed over to shoot Wordle over the next few weeks.” She added, “We’re going to shoot the whole season, and we’re super excited,” before teasing that the show would “probably air” sometime in the new year.
Her colleagues celebrated the announcement on air. Craig Melvin remarked, “We’re going to lose you for a minute, though,” while Carson Daly said he “can’t wait” to see the finished project. Sheinelle Jones also called the opportunity “full circle,” recalling how obsessed the Today team had become when the daily Wordle puzzle first took off.
Today also confirmed Guthrie’s temporary leave in an Instagram post, reminding viewers she would be “off for a few weeks” while filming. The project was first announced in May alongside executive producer Jimmy Fallon, who revealed the game show had been in development with The New York Times for more than two years.
At the time, Fallon said, “We’ve been developing Wordle as a game show for the past two-and-a-half years,” before telling Guthrie, “I’m so happy it’s you,” and praising her as “someone that knows how to run a show and host it.”
Meanwhile, a description obtained from Variety revealed that the series would challenge contestants to solve five-letter word puzzles in a fast-paced competition for a cash prize. Players would compete in teams, bringing the collaborative spirit of the popular online game to television.
Guthrie described the series as “super fast-paced and fun,” adding that it would be “a great family game” that parents and children could enjoy together while learning something new.
TELL US – WILL YOU BE WATCHING SAVANNAH GUTHRIE HOST THE NEW WORDLE GAME SHOW?
