'Hopeless' Hoda Kotb Returns to 'Today' as She Supports Pal Savannah Guthrie Amid Her Mom's Disappearance

Hoda Kotb returned to the Today show nearly one year after leaving her anchor role, stepping up to support Savannah Guthrie in the search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie.

Hoda, 61, who served as an anchor on the morning show from 2007 to 2025, returned to the news desk alongside Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones and Carson Daly during the Friday, February 6, broadcast.

“Well, first of all, I just want to say this whole thing is breaking my heart and I’m happy to be sitting here with you,” Kotb began, to which Jones, 47, immediately added, "Because you're family!"

“I’ve been wandering around going, ‘Where do we go?’ And I picture Savannah sitting there,” Kotb told her co-hosts, sadly nodding toward Guthrie's desk.

“Anyway, I just want to say good morning, and everybody’s hoping and praying for Nancy’s safe return,” Kotb said. “There’s been a massive show of support, from vigils to people offering positive thoughts online and just a lot of hope. The nation’s rallying around our dear friend Savannah and her family, believing their beloved mom Nancy will be back soon in their loving arms.”

Kotb feels "helpless" amid Savannah's difficult moment, recalling how often she had shown up for others during their tough times.

“I mean, we’re all so close with her, and we all want to help her,” she said. “I’m looking at us and thinking like, 'Who was first in the hospital room when [my daughter] Hope was sick? Savannah. Who hopped on a plane when [Daly’s] parents [died]? Savannah. Who was sitting by [Jones’ late husband] Uche Ojeh? How about when [Melvin’s] brother passed?' I mean, she was there. I was thinking this morning, you know, they say love is patient, love is kind. Like, we’ll be patient and put prayers up. And that’s all we can do.”

The NBC anchor's mom was last seen on January 31 and was reported missing the next day after she missed her regular church service.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos later confirmed that the disappearance was being treated as a crime after "concerning evidence" was found in the 84-year-old's Arizona home.

Despite reports of Nancy's son-in-law being a person of interest in the case, the sheriff confirmed on Thursday, February 5, that authorities hadn't zeroed in on on possible suspect.

“Nobody’s eliminated, but we just really don’t have enough to say, ‘This is our suspect, this is our guy, we know — or our gal.’ We don’t know that,” he said in a press conference, calling conflicting reports “irresponsible.”

He continued, “And it’s really kind of reckless to report that someone is a suspect when they could very well be a victim.”