Today Staff Reportedly Struggling After Savanah Guthrie Tragedy Causes 'Dramatic Shift'

Savannah Guthrie's horrific family ordeal has understandably taken a toll on her, and naturally, that's impacted the broadcast journalist's colleagues at "Today" too. It's yet another heartbreaking detail of a very disturbing story, and according to insiders, no one really knows what their next move should be. The Guthrie family has faced unspeakable tragedy in 2026, with Savannah's elderly mom Nancy Guthrie being abducted in early February. In the immediate aftermath, the "Today" show co-host took some time off work, though even in her absence, there was a real heaviness onscreen. Sadly, even after Savannah's return to TV, that feeling remained, largely because Nancy had still not yet been found.

Unfortunately, that's also translated to lower ratings, with "Today's" main competitor "Good Morning America" gaining popularity. Speaking to Rob Shuter's Naughty but Nice Substack, an insider at NBC admitted that they could understand why. "Everybody knows the Savannah situation has changed the show [...] Nobody blames Savannah, but the atmosphere is much heavier now," they acknowledged, adding that it wasn't surprising many viewers were shifting their attention to ABC instead. 

"Morning television is supposed to make people feel better before they start their day — not leave them emotionally exhausted," the insider said. However, other sources who spoke with Shuter pointed out that there was no easy way through this tough situation. As one opined, "Nobody has a clean solution." Another shared similar sentiments, saying, "They're trapped. You can't ask Savannah to act like nothing is happening, but you also can't ignore that viewers have noticed a dramatic shift in the show's tone." 

Despite "Today" feeling noticeably heavy ever since Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, all of Rob Shuter's sources made it clear that they wanted Savannah Guthrie to feel supported on the show, and safe in her employment. That's evidently stopped production from reaching out to her former colleague Hoda Kotb. "Bringing her back, even temporarily, would send a dangerous message. Savannah would almost certainly see it as a vote of no confidence, and that could ignite a full-blown backstage war," one of Shuter's sources warned. This idea piggybacked off what another insider disclosed: "NBC is walking a tightrope — and everyone knows one wrong move could make things much worse." 

The fact that there were previous rumors of a feud between Guthrie and Kotb didn't come up, but we wouldn't be surprised if that was also being taken into account by producers. Of course, the fact that they're even considering asking her to step in is also interesting given that there were also previously reports that Kotb's decision to leave "Today" had benefitted the show's viewership. In late 2025, sources dished to Naughty but Nice that Craig Melvin had exceeded expectations as Kotb's "Today" show replacement, and ratings soared "the minute Hoda left." 

Another insider enthused, "This new Savannah-and-Craig partnership? That's lightning in a coffee cup." Simply put, the situation at "Today" is a heartbreaking one, and we don't envy those with decision-making power at the hit morning show. After all, as one of Shuter's sources asserted, "They want to stand by Savannah, stop 'GMA's' momentum, and avoid creating an even bigger crisis behind the scenes." It's a mammoth task at an incredibly challenging time.