NBC bets big on new prime-time show hosted by Savannah Guthrie even as her agonizing wait for answers continues
Life doesn’t pause for tragedy.
NBC just dropped a major career move for Savannah Guthrie, announcing she’ll host a brand-new prime-time game show based on Wordle, even as her family continues an agonizing search for her missing mother Nancy Guthrie. According to Page Six, the reveal came on the Today show on May 11, 2026, where Guthrie shared the news alongside executive producer Jimmy Fallon.
The show, which has been in the works since last October, will start filming this summer. Guthrie called the project a “big announcement” but admitted the timing feels surreal. “Everything is strange right now,” she said, her voice carrying the weight of a family still desperate for answers. “It’s strange to get up and do the Today show every day, and it’s strange to say that I’m going to do a game show when your heart is broken.”
Fallon, didn’t hold back on the praise. “We’ve been holding this secret between us for a long time now,” Guthrie said before he jumped in. “I’m so happy it’s you. We were looking for the perfect host for this. We needed someone who looks like they play Wordle, someone who knows how to run a show.” He even referenced her 2021 stint as a guest host on Jeopardy!, calling her “amazing” during the pilot.
The show’s premise is simple: it’s Wordle, but on TV
The New York Times’ viral puzzle game has already proven it can hold an audience’s attention, and turning it into a game show feels like a no-brainer. The real question is how it’ll translate to prime time. Will it be a fast-paced competition with dramatic reveals, or something more laid-back and conversational? With Fallon’s production team behind it, there’ll be plenty of humor and energy, but Guthrie’s personal touch might give it a different kind of heart.
But the announcement is bittersweet. Guthrie’s mom, Nancy, has been missing since January, and the search has been nothing short of a nightmare for the family. Nancy, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home, and police believe she was kidnapped.
Doorbell camera footage from the night she vanished shows a masked man lurking outside her house, but months later, there are still no suspects. The case has been mired in controversy, too, with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department facing heavy criticism for how it handled the investigation.
FBI Director Kash Patel didn’t mince words when he called out the sheriff, Chris Nanos, for bungling DNA evidence and shutting out federal agents. “For four days we were kept out of the investigation,” Patel said. The sheriff’s office has pushed back, insisting they worked with the FBI “without delay,” but the damage to public trust is already done. The FBI is now using advanced technology to re-examine DNA samples from Nancy’s home, hoping for a breakthrough.
Guthrie has been open about the emotional toll of the ordeal
In February, she acknowledged that her mom “may already be lost.” “If this is what is to be, then we will accept it,” she said, “but we need to know where she is.” She took a two-month hiatus from Today before returning in April, wearing a yellow dress, a color symbolizing hope and remembrance. She wore the same color on Monday, a subtle nod to Mother’s Day and the ongoing search.
Her Mother’s Day tribute over the weekend was even more raw. “We miss you with every breath,” she wrote. She added, “We will never stop looking for you. We will never be at peace until we find you.” The post included a reel of family moments with Nancy, captioned “Mother, daughter, sister, Nonie.” Guthrie is a mom herself to two young kids, Vale and Charley. Her husband, Michael Feldman, called her “the strongest person” in an emotional post of his own.
The search for Nancy has been filled with false leads and frustrations. Multiple ransom notes have surfaced, but none have led to a resolution. Earlier this week, a prowler in a mask and gloves was spotted in Nancy’s neighborhood, but police haven’t connected the dots yet. Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron, have made multiple public pleas for information, offering a reward and urging anyone with tips to call the FBI.
So, what does this Wordle game show mean for Guthrie?
On one hand, it’s a distraction, a chance to focus on something creative and joyful amid the chaos. On the other, it’s a reminder that life marches on, even when it feels like it should stand still. Late night host Jimmy Fallon and the production team have made it clear they’re willing to wait for her, pausing the project when Nancy first went missing. “We couldn’t do the show without her,” Fallon said, calling Guthrie “fantastic.”
For fans of Today and word games alike, this show is something to look forward to. It’s a chance to see Guthrie in a different light, flexing her hosting muscles in a way that feels fresh and exciting. But it’s also a reminder of the human behind the anchor desk, someone who’s navigating unimaginable pain while still showing up for her audience.
(Featured image: Naval Aircrewman Mechanical 3rd Class Michelle Marzec)
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