Hoda Kotb Fills In for Savannah Guthrie on 'Today' Show

Kotb steps back into anchor chair as Guthrie focuses on mother's kidnapping

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Almost a year after retiring from the 'Today' show, Hoda Kotb has returned to fill in for co-host Savannah Guthrie, who is focusing on the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie. Kotb joined the 'Today' team on Monday as they continued coverage of the search for Nancy Guthrie while also handling the show's regular news and stories.

Why it matters

Hoda Kotb's return to the 'Today' show comes at a difficult time for her former co-host Savannah Guthrie, whose mother was recently kidnapped from her home north of Tucson, Arizona. Kotb's presence provides support for the 'Today' team as they navigate the emotional situation while still delivering the news to viewers.

The details

Kotb, who co-hosted 'Today' with Guthrie for seven years before retiring in 2025, stepped in to fill Guthrie's anchor chair on Monday. The show's other co-hosts, including Craig Melvin and Al Roker, acknowledged the challenging circumstances but said they would continue to do their jobs to the best of their ability, noting that it's 'exactly what Savannah would actually want us to do.' Kotb expressed that Savannah and her family are the 'top priority' during this difficult time.

  • Hoda Kotb retired from the 'Today' show almost exactly one year ago.
  • Nancy Guthrie was reportedly kidnapped from her home north of Tucson, Arizona on February 1, 2026.
  • Kotb filled in for Savannah Guthrie on the 'Today' show on Monday, February 9, 2026.

The players

Hoda Kotb

A former co-host of the 'Today' show who retired almost a year ago but has returned to fill in for her former co-host Savannah Guthrie while Guthrie focuses on her mother's disappearance.

Savannah Guthrie

The current co-host of the 'Today' show whose 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was recently kidnapped from her home north of Tucson, Arizona.

Nancy Guthrie

Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother who was recently kidnapped from her home north of Tucson, Arizona.

Craig Melvin

A co-host of the 'Today' show who acknowledged the challenging circumstances the team is facing while continuing to deliver the news.

Al Roker

The 'Today' show's meteorologist who said the team is doing what Savannah Guthrie would want them to do during this difficult time.

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What they’re saying

“Paramount through all of this, Savannah and her family are our top priority.”

— Hoda Kotb (latimes.com)

“Yeah and we're going to do our best. It's certainly not easy to do our jobs. We're doing that obviously for her and for you, the viewers.”

— Carson Daly, Co-host (latimes.com)

“Going on with the show was 'exactly what Savannah would actually want us to do'.”

— Al Roker, Meteorologist (latimes.com)

What’s next

The network has stated that Savannah Guthrie will not be joining the coverage of the 2026 Winter Games as she focuses on the search for her mother.

The takeaway

Hoda Kotb's return to the 'Today' show during this difficult time for her former co-host Savannah Guthrie demonstrates the strong bonds and support within the 'Today' family, even in the face of unimaginable personal challenges.