Savannah Guthrie is back in the news, but this time the news is all good.
The "Today" show co-host is trying on a new role: game-show host.
Jimmy Fallon appeared on the "Today" show on Monday, May 11, to announce a new game show based on Wordle, the popular, almost annoyingly ubiquitous New York Times puzzle many people play every day. (Annoying? Why yes, my 63-day streak did end yesterday, now that you mention it.)
Fallon, the host of "The Tonight Show," is an executive producer of the game show. "This is very exciting," he said on Monday's "Today." "I have a big announcement to make. We've been developing Wordle as a game show for the past two-and-a-half years with The New York Times, and it's official — we are making Wordle Game Show with our host, Savannah Guthrie."
Guthrie
Don't worry, Guthrie is not leaving "Today." This is an in-addition-to situation, not an instead-of one. And it's been in the works for a while.
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"We've been holding this secret between us for a long time now," Guthrie said. "And we're going to make Wordle a game show." Indeed, the development of the game show was announced in October, with Guthrie as host. Since then, of course, Guthrie's mother Nancy disappeared. Nancy Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31; authorities believe she was taken from her home in the early hours of Feb. 1. There is no known motive or suspect.
Savannah Guthrie left the "Today" show for two months before returning on April 6.
She alluded to the tragedy during Monday's announcement.
"We've been working on this for a really long time, and actually, we just found out in February that we got picked up and we were supposed to shoot in March," Guthrie said. "And I just want to say a quick thank you to NBC and to Jimmy and his production company and The New York Times and the studio and Universal, because when everything happened with me and my family, they just stopped everything and said, 'We'll wait for you.' And Hollywood is a really tough business, and I didn't expect that, and I just want to say thank you, it means so much to me."
"We can't do it without you," Fallon said.
"It kind of feels strange to do everything right now," Guthrie said. "But this is full of joy."
The Times acquired Worlde in 2022 and its popularity has ballooned ever since.
Guthrie is a noted fan of the game.
The game show is expected to premiere in 2027.
