Savannah Guthrie, the 'Today' show anchor, has stepped down from her hosting duties at the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony following the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie. The 84-year-old was reported missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday afternoon, with police suspecting she was abducted during the night.
An NBC Sports spokesperson confirmed Guthrie's withdrawal, stating, 'Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time. Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother.' Craig Melvin, originally set to host 'Olympic Late Night' from Saturday to Monday, will also remain in the US.
Veteran sports commentator Mary Carillo will replace Guthrie, co-hosting the opening ceremony alongside Terry Gannon. This will mark Carillo's 17th Olympic Games. Ahmed Fareed, already serving as a daytime host, will take over Melvin's late-night slot from Saturday to Monday.
NBC executive producer Molly Solomon expressed support for Guthrie, saying, 'We are fortunate to have a deep bench of talented commentators who will step in and fill these roles. Mary is one of the most experienced Olympic commentators ever and a master storyteller.'
Guthrie had been scheduled to co-host the opening ceremony for the fourth time, alongside Gannon and snowboarder Shaun White. The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo run from February 6 to 26. The search for Nancy Guthrie continues, with authorities confirming signs of forced entry and DNA evidence at her home.
