The TV personality returned to her anchor’s seat on April 6 after a two-month hiatus.

The Gist

• Savannah Guthrie quietly left the Today show mid-segment on May 6 amid the ongoing investigation into her mom Nancy’s disappearance; she was last seen on January 31, 2026 and was reported missing the next day.
• Her co-host Craig Melvin didn’t share an explanation for her leaving the episode, but he said Guthrie’s absence was temporary.
• Guthrie returned to her anchor seat a month ago on April 6 after a two-month hiatus as the search for her mom, 84, continues.

Savannah Guthrie abruptly left Today mid-show during a May 6 morning segment, exactly a month after she returned to her anchor seat following a 60-day hiatus. According to Hello!, her co-host Craig Melvin confirmed that she had quietly ducked out early amid the ongoing investigation into her missing mom, Nancy Guthrie.

While Savannah kicked off the morning show at her desk, Melvin told the audience as well as fans at the Today Plaza that his co-host had exited the premises about 90 minutes into the episode. “Savannah had to leave a little early,” he shared about the TV personality’s whereabouts. However, Melvin revealed that Savannah’s absence was only temporary, clarifying, “She’ll be right back tomorrow, though.”

Considering the expected brevity of Savannah’s leave of absence, it’s possible she was pulled away due to an errand or family matter rather than an update on the case of her mom, who was first reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1.

The star previously sparked rumors when she seemingly stepped away from a live Today broadcast on April 15 after she introduced an interview with Anne Hathaway. After a commercial break, viewers noticed that Hoda Kotb conducted the interview with The Devil Wears Prada 2 star instead of Savannah, fueling speculation that she’d left because she’d received new information into the case.

A spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told Hello! that their team “remains fully committed to the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance,” which they called “an active and ongoing investigation.”

The department said they are working with the FBI to analyze new information and follow up on any tips they receive. “DNA and video analysis are underway, supported by laboratories across the country. Advances in technology are aiding investigative efforts, and tips continue to be received and reviewed,” they added.

Elizabeth Smart Has Surprising Theory About Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance

During an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, which aired on Tuesday, May 5, Smart was asked whether she thought Guthrie could have survived the abduction, as she once did

NEED TO KNOW

• Elizabeth Smart believes Nancy Guthrie could still be alive, citing her own kidnapping experience as well as other cases where missing persons were found years later
• “Of course there is the alternative, but until we know, we have to keep looking,” Smart told CNN’s Erin Burnett in an interview which aired on Tuesday, May 5
• Nancy, the mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped from her Tucson, Ariz., home in February by a masked man

More than three months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, kidnapping survivor and advocate Elizabeth Smart says she believes Guthrie could still be alive.

During an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, which aired on Tuesday, May 5, Smart was asked whether she thought Guthrie could have survived the abduction, as she once did.

“Absolutely. She could absolutely still be alive,” Smart, 38, said.

She pointed to other missing-person cases in which victims were found alive years later. “We’re talking years and years, so she could absolutely still be alive,” Smart said. “Of course there is the alternative, but until we know, we have to keep looking.”

She added that “either way, [Guthrie] deserves to be brought home.”

Smart was 14 years old when she was kidnapped from her home in Salt Lake City in 2002, during which she was subjected to daily rapes and endured physical abuse and starvation. She was reunited with her family nine months later, after she was found by authorities while walking the streets of Utah.

She is now an advocate for sexual assault survivors and the families of missing children. Smart also opened up about the ordeal like never before in the Netflix documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, released in January.

At the time, Smart’s kidnapping and eventual rescue dominated headlines — much like the intense attention surrounding Guthrie’s disappearance today, despite Guthrie not yet being found.

The 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie is believed to have been kidnapped from her Tucson, Ariz., home by a masked man in the middle of the night on Feb. 1. No suspects have been identified in the case.