Additional Coverage:
Savannah Guthrie made her return to the Today Show on Monday, marking her first appearance since last week’s alarming security breach at the Rockefeller Plaza studios.
On July 16, an intruder named Andrew Truelove entered the studio uninvited, confronting co-host Craig Melvin and hurling racial slurs. Authorities quickly arrested Truelove, charging him with two felony counts of hate-crime burglary and menacing.
Following the incident, Craig Melvin took a pre-planned family vacation. During Monday’s broadcast, Savannah co-hosted alongside Sheinelle Jones, who was filling in for Craig. “We’ve got Sheinelle in for Craig, who’s getting a little family vacation,” Savannah told viewers, just days after announcing she would be taking a short break from the show to work on a new project.
This appearance marked Savannah’s first on air since the intrusion, as she was off on July 17. Craig returned to the show the following day and addressed the incident briefly, assuring viewers: “You may have heard that unfortunately an intruder made his way into an unauthorized area here at Studio 1A.
Thankfully he was apprehended quickly, he was placed under arrest. We are cooperating fully with NYPD as they investigate the matter, and we are just very happy that everyone is safe.”
Laura Jarrett, filling in for Savannah during that broadcast, checked in with Craig, saying, “We want to make sure that you’re safe.” Craig responded, “Safe and sound,” to which Laura added, “Safe and sound at all times.”
Craig’s absence from this week’s show is unrelated to the security incident; he has been off due to other commitments. Meanwhile, Savannah announced last Thursday that she will be stepping away from the Today Show for several weeks to film the upcoming prime-time adaptation of Wordle, the immensely popular word puzzle game.
The new series, which Savannah will host and which is executive produced by Jimmy Fallon, is set to premiere on NBC in 2027. Savannah shared her excitement about the project: “Yes, we’re about to do it, guys.
I’m headed over to shoot Wordle over the next few weeks. We’re going to shoot the whole season, and we’re super excited.
We cannot wait for everyone to see it.”
Jimmy Fallon praised Savannah’s selection as host, noting, “We were looking for the perfect host – someone who looks like they play Wordle, knows how to run a show and host it. We did the pilot, and you are amazing.”
The fast-paced competition will feature teams racing to solve five-letter word puzzles for cash prizes. Wordle, originally launched in 2021 and acquired by The New York Times in 2022, enjoys millions of daily players. Filming will take place in Manchester, England, which means Savannah will be away from the Today Show for a period while shooting overseas.
In a more somber note, Savannah continues to face a personal tragedy. Her mother, Nancy Guthrie, has been missing since the night of January 31 in Tucson, Arizona.
Despite an active investigation by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, Nancy’s whereabouts remain unknown nearly six months later. Authorities have not identified any suspects, and her body has yet to be found.
The Guthrie family is offering up to a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy’s recovery, supplemented by an additional $100,000 reward from the FBI and Tucson Crime Stoppers. The case remains open as law enforcement continues their search.