‘Today' show anchor returns after 2-week absence: ‘Look who's back'

Savannah Guthrie returned to the 'Today' show anchor desk on Tuesday morning, resuming her duties alongside co-host Craig Melvin after a two-week absence from the NBC morning program. The anchor had been away since Aug. 24, with Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker and anchor Laura Jarrett filling in during her time off. Melvin welcomed Guthrie back at the start of the Sept. 8 broadcast, saying 'Look who's back. Savannah Guthrie, we missed you!' Guthrie likened her return to the start of a new school year, telling Melvin it is 'back to school week for everybody.' During her break, she made a public appearance at the US Open in New York on Aug. 25 with her husband, Mike Feldman. Her recent time off follows an earlier summer absence when Guthrie stepped away to film an upcoming game show based on Wordle. She previously described herself as 'super excited' to host the series, calling her time away a 'little game show summer.' Guthrie's return comes as she continues to navigate the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, who went missing from her Arizona home on Feb. 1. The NBC anchor was absent from the program for two months earlier this year following the disappearance. In August, Guthrie marked the six-month anniversary of her mother's disappearance with an emotional plea on Instagram, writing that someone took her mother from her bed 'in the dead of night.' She urged anyone with knowledge of the situation or the handwriting on ransom demand notes to come forward. In a June conversation with Jenna Bush Hager, Guthrie described the difficulty of balancing her professional responsibilities during the ongoing search. 'I cry every morning on the way to work, and I cry every morning on the way home,' Guthrie said. Arizona authorities have confirmed that the search for Nancy Guthrie remains active.