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Back in April, fans rejoiced when Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today show following a two-month hiatus.
The occasion was bittersweet, of course, as Savannah’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, was still missing, and she has yet to be found even now.
But Savannah was obviously overjoyed to be back with her Today family — which is why many viewers were shocked by today’s announcement that she’ll be taking another hiatus.
Yes, Savannah announced during the July 16 broadcast that she’ll be stepping away from the anchor desk for the next several weeks — but fans don’t need to worry. This isn’t another unexpected absence.
Instead, Guthrie is taking time away for an exciting new career opportunity.
During the show’s “PopStart” segment, Carson Daly reminded viewers that NBC is bringing the wildly popular Wordle word game to television, with Guthrie serving as host.
“And you’ve got some news about Wordle,” Daly said before turning things over to his colleague.
Guthrie then revealed exactly why she’ll be disappearing from viewers’ morning routines.
“We’re about to do it,” she said. “Guys, I’m headed over to shoot Wordle. Over the next few weeks, we’re gonna shoot the whole season, and we’re super excited. Cannot wait for everyone to see it.”
She added that the series is expected to premiere sometime in the new year.
Guthrie’s announcement was met with enthusiastic reactions from her fellow anchors.
Sheinelle Jones recalled how obsessed the Today team became when Wordle first exploded in popularity.
“I just remember when Wordle hit the Today show group, and we became obsessed,” Jones said. “We were texting each other. And so, now to bring it full circle and have you doing this is pretty awesome.”
Craig Melvin called Guthrie the “perfect host” for the new series, while Jenna Bush Hager admitted the team will miss having her around while she’s away filming.
The Wordle hosting gig has been in the works for months.
NBC first announced earlier this year that Guthrie would front the game show, which is executive produced by Jimmy Fallon.
Production was originally expected to begin months ago but was delayed as Guthrie dealt with the disappearance of her mother.
Now, filming is finally getting underway, giving Guthrie a chance to focus on a project she has repeatedly described as joyful.
For Today fans, the good news is that this isn’t a permanent goodbye.
It’s simply a temporary break while she films an entire season of Wordle before returning to NBC’s morning lineup.
