Savannah Guthrie is heading back to the game show world. And she could not be more excited about it. The “Today” co-anchor, 54, confirmed live during the 8 a.m. hour of the morning broadcast that she is set to host a brand new game show coming to NBC.
Jimmy Fallon Makes It Official: Savannah Guthrie Is Hosting NBC’s New Wordle Game Show
Executive producer Jimmy Fallon joined her on set to make it official.”This is very exciting, I have a big announcement to make,” the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon host said on the Today show Monday, May 11.
“We’ve been developing Wordle as a game show for the past two-and-a-half years with The New York Times, and it’s official â we are making Wordle Game Show with our host, Savannah Guthrie!”
Guthrie could not hide her excitement. “We’ve been holding this secret between us for a long time now,” she said. “And we’re going to make Wordle a game show.”
Jimmy Fallon Reveals Why Savannah Guthrie Was Always the Perfect Choice
Finding the right host took time. Fallon made clear every minute was worth it. “I’m so happy it’s you. We were looking, we’re like, ‘Who’s the perfect host of this?’ We need to have someone that looks like they play Wordle, someone that knows how to run a show and host it, and we did the pilot, and you are amazing, by the way,” Fallon said.
Guthrie fired back immediately. “I thought you picked me because I have a skirt that looks like a Wordle,” she joked.
The new game show host called the series “super fast-paced and fun” and a “great family game,” adding, “I love a game and a show that you can watch with kids and you feel like they’re learning some things.”
When Guthrie asked Fallon for hosting tips he told her she was “fantastic” and that the whole crew agreed they could not “do the show without” her.
“Today” co-anchor Craig Melvin turned to Fallon with a grin. “Jimmy, again, you can’t do it without her â neither can we. So you can borrow her for a little while, but make sure you return her,” Melvin said. The cameras roll this summer. The show is currently searching for its first contestants, per Today.
Savannah Guthrie Thanks NBC & Jimmy Fallon for Waiting for Her
The announcement carried more weight than a typical television reveal. Guthrie paused mid-segment to thank the people who stood by her during one of the hardest stretches of her life.
“We’ve been working on this for a really long time, and actually we just found out in February that we got picked up and we were supposed to shoot in March,” she said.
“And I just want to say a quick thank you to NBC and to Jimmy and his production company and The New York Times and the studio and Universal because when everything happened with me and my family, they just stopped everything and said ‘We’ll wait for you.’ And Hollywood is a really tough business, and I didn’t expect that, and I just want to say thank you, it means so much to me.”
Fallon kept it simple. “We can’t do it without you,” he said. Guthrie took a breath before adding, “It kind of feels strange to do everything right now, but this is something that’s full of joy.”
Savannah Guthrie Made a Brave Comeback to ‘Today’ While Navigating Heartbreaking Family Tragedy
Monday’s joyful news comes as Guthrie and her family continue to navigate an incredibly painful situation. Savannah returned to the desk more than a month ago after taking a leave of absence following the abduction of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, from her Tucson, Arizona, home on Saturday, Feb. 1.
No suspects have been publicly identified.
The FBI has offered a $100,000 reward for any information leading to Nancy’s recovery or the arrest of those responsible.
On Sunday, May 10, Guthrie marked Mother’s Day with a moving Instagram post featuring video clips of her mother. “Mother, daughter, sister, Nonie â we miss you with our every breath,” she wrote.
“We will never stop looking for you. We will never be at peace until we find you. We need help. Someone knows something that can make the difference. Call 1800CALLFBI. You can be anonymous, and the reward remains available. Please keep praying. Bring her home.”
Her husband, Mike Feldman, 57, honored Guthrie the same day, sharing a photo of her with their children, Vale, 11, and Charley, 9.
“To the strongest person I know,” Feldman wrote. “Surrounding you with love on Mother’s Day.”
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Tips may also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.
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