There is something amiss going on behind the scenes at “Today.”
During the February 28th broadcast, Savannah Guthrie abruptly left midway through the first hour of NBC’s four-hour show.
Savannah Guthrie Abruptly Leaves Tuesday's Broadcast Of "Today"
Guthrie started off co-anchoring the show at 7 a.m. ET alongside Sheinelle Jones, but sparked concern after she was noticeably absent following a commercial break around 7:30 a.m
Her abrupt departure from Tuesday’s show comes amid Hoda Kotb’s mysterious more than week-long absence.
Fans have expressed concern about Kotb’s well-being and health and are curious about why she’s been gone since February 17th.
Hoda hasn’t directly addressed fans’ concerns, but she’s been posting cryptic quotes on Instagram that may have a deeper meaning than meets the eye.
Where Has Hoda Kotb Been?!
Around 9 a.m. ET, Jones revealed why Guthrie had to leave quickly and abruptly.
“It has been an interesting morning for us. As we said, Savannah left early. She wasn’t feeling great, so she took a COVID test, [and] it came back positive,” Jones revealed.
She noted that Guthrie “rushed home to rest up,” before adding, “So, Savannah, we love you. Wishing you a speedy recovery.”
This is Guthrie’s third battle with COVID-19 after contracting it in January 2022 and May 2022.
Her return to the morning show is TBD.
Fans Express Concern About Hoda Kotb's Well-Being
As we reported, fans of Kotb, “Today” and “Today with Hoda & Jenna” have expressed sincere concern about the co-anchor.
“Hello, friends Everybody’s wondering where @hodakotb is She’s been out a week. The best thing to do at this time is to keep her in your prayers. SHE’LL BE BACK! I’m sure,” one person tweeted.
One worried viewer wrote, “When will you be back??”
“We miss you… everything seems so secretive, hope everything is good,” another wrote.
“Where is Hoda Kotb why is she out for almost 2 weeks? Please someone tell us if everything is ok? Or is she on vacation?” this viewer asked.
“Hoda, not sure what’s going on & not my business (or anyone else’s!) but wanted u to know how much u r missed and loved. I pray it’s all for a good reason and if not, I pray you (& the girls) are ok. Stay strong Hoda… you ARE stronger than you know!” one fan wished.
The last time she appeared on “Today with Hoda & Jenna” was on President’s Day, February 20th; however, it was a pre-taped episode due to the holiday.
So technically, the last time Hoda was physically on the show was February 17th.
Hoda posted on Instagram on Monday, February 27th. She shared a photo that read, “Choose Hope.”
She has a daughter named Hope. Hoda simply captioned the post with a red heart emoji.
View this post on Instagram
Again, her fans and followers expressed their concern in the comments section.
Many said the “Today” show is not the same without her, and it’s hard to watch the AM news program without Hoda.
Willie Geist and Sheinelle Jones have been subbing in for Hoda on her fourth-hour show with Jenna.
Hoda’s “Today” channel podcast “Making Space” typically drops new episodes every Monday at 4 AM ET, but it has not dropped a new episode since February 20th.
