Savannah Guthrie Has A Teary Moment On Today One Day After Mysterious Early Exit

Viewers who tuned into the May 6, 2026, episode of the "Today" show were surprised when co-host Savannah Guthrie left roughly halfway through the broadcast and only a vague comment about her exit was offered. Sources clarified that her departure had nothing to do with the tragic reality of Savannah and her family's lives amid Nancy Guthrie's heartbreaking disappearance, but notably, when she returned the following day, the TV personality was visibly emotional on the air. Given all the attention on Savannah and how she's been coping with her mother's kidnapping, it's no surprise that her mid-show exit got a ton of attention. Co-star Craig Melvin declined to give any details beyond, "Savannah had to leave a little early. She will be right back here tomorrow, though" (via Page Six). 

Naturally, that prompted many to wonder if there had been any updates in Nancy's case, but an insider confirmed there was no link. Savannah simply needed to leave for an "appointment." As such, "Her exit had nothing to do with her mom." Whatever took her away from the "Today" show, Melvin's promise came true, and the following morning, Savannah was back on set, though she opted not to share any details about why she'd left early the prior day. That said, the "Today" host certainly seemed emotional during a segment where Jenna Bush Hager shared her and their co-hosts' kindergarten pics. Savannah didn't cry, but she did look teary-eyed as her childhood home flashed across the screen. "That was in my backyard," the "Today" star smiled, visibly touched by the happy memory. 

Obviously, it's Savannah Guthrie's prerogative not to announce publicly why she left the May 6 broadcast of "Today" early, and perhaps it really was just a regular old doctor's appointment, or something similar. But still, fans are concerned. "So sad. Must be impossible to concentrate & Mother's Day weekend is here, so tragic, I cannot imagine! Bless her & her family," wrote one user in a YouTube comment. Another was more hopeful, musing, "Maybe she got some urgent news about her mom. I wish her well!!" Unfortunately, not everyone was kind, and some netizens even reiterated that they thought certain details about Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping weren't adding up. 

Some even accused Savannah of leaving early to reignite attention on the case. To be fair, even if that was the case, we wouldn't blame the "Today" co-host for doing everything in her power to bring her mom home. One prevalent criticism centered on how the show was addressing the situation. Just a month prior to Savannah's early departure, Page Six revealed that her colleagues had been specifically told not to bring it up. "It was supposed to be business as usual. [Producers] said to act totally normal," a source disclosed. They added, "'Move forward' is the vibe." 

After all, as the insider pointed out, "It's been a hard year and a draining time." That was likely primarily for Savannah's benefit, as there's a very good chance her feelings (and the fact that Nancy was still yet to be found) were still too raw for her to be able to speak about it. Whatever the case may be, our hearts go out to Savannah and her family — and we hope Jenna Bush Hager sharing her kindergarten picture brought some happiness in an unimaginably dark time.