NBC ‘Practically Begged’ Savannah Guthrie to Take a Break Amid Latest Nancy Guthrie Developments

Savannah Guthrie has not missed a beat since returning to her seat at the Today show in April — despite the ongoing investigation into her mother Nancy Guthrie‘s disappearance.

Earlier this week, reports of a ransom note claiming the 84-year-old had died while being held by her captors began to circulate. However, despite the heartbreaking development, Savannah returned to work as normal.

“NBC practically begged her to take a break,” a source told Rob Shuter for his Naughty But Nice Substack on Thursday, June 25. “Nobody expected her back. Everyone assumed she would step away — and honestly, no one would have blamed her.”

Savannah, 54, addressed her mother’s abduction on Tuesday, calling it “unusual and unprecedented.”

According to Shuter, NBC had been in “protection mode” since Savannah’s April return. However, it was the longtime host’s decision to finally speak up.

“She said, ‘If this is going to be discussed, I’m going to be the one discussing it,'” Shuter reported. “She wasn’t going to let anyone else tell her family’s story.”

Nancy was taken from her Tucson, Arizona, home in the early morning hours of February 1. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, along with the FBI’s Phoenix Division, have been piecing together clues for nearly five months.

“What she’s carrying right now is unimaginable. Most people would be curled up at home. Savannah walked into a live television studio and did her job. That’s extraordinary,” a source told Shuter.. “People weren’t just heartbroken — they were in awe. What viewers saw was strength. What we saw was courage.”