Hoda Kotb Makes Bittersweet Return to 'Today Show' Amid Heartbreak
Hoda is behind the desk at 'The Today Show' again, and it's for the most heartbreaking reason.
Published Feb. 25 2026, 9:22 a.m. ET
When popular morning show host Hoda Kotb retired from The Today Show in January 2025, fans were devastated. The lively morning host had been at the helm of Today for 17 years, making her a morning staple for millions of families.
She seemed to quickly thrive in post-Today life, enjoying time with her loved ones and a newfound appreciation for free time.
However, in February 2026, she made an abrupt return to The Today Show, filling in on the morning slot as a fellow colleague underwent a nightmare scenario. Here's why Hoda is back on the show and what fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie is doing to deal with the impossible and heart-wrenching reality of her kidnapped mother's absence.
Why is Hoda Kotb back on the 'Today Show'?
Savannah Guthrie's beloved mom, Nancy Guthrie, hasn't been seen or heard from since Jan. 31, 2026. The situation has been a nightmare of epic proportions, throwing the Guthrie family into the horrible spotlight of a desperate manhunt to find the woman who was apparently kidnapped from her Pima County, Ariz., home sometime after having dinner with Savannah's sister, Annie Guthrie.
As the family searches frantically for the 84-year-old woman, life marches on. Which means that The Today Show has continued, despite Savannah taking time off to help her family do what they can to find their matriarch.
Hoda stepped in to fill Savannah's shoes, resuming her role at The Today Show to give her former colleague the space she needs to cope with the unimaginable.
During an appearance in her temporary return to co-host, Hoda shared that people have been surrounding the Today Show family with love amid the Guthrie family's heartache.
Hoda explained, "I was walking through the airport yesterday, I was just flying back here. The number of people who came up and said, one thing they kept repeating, which just struck me is, 'She's like all of our moms. She's like all of our moms. Tell her we're praying. Tell her we're here,' and I think that's so important. It's touched everybody."
Savannah Guthrie offers $1 million reward for her mother's safe return.
Meanwhile, the Guthries are frantic for information and the return of Nancy. Savannah took to Instagram on Feb. 24, 2026, to offer a jaw-dropping reward for the return of her mother.
She made yet another impassioned plea to anyone who might have information about Nancy, who was apparently kidnapped from her home by someone wearing a ski mask.
Savannah added, "Family reward of up to $1 million will be paid only for recovery of Nancy Guthrie, consistent with FBI criteria for payment of its reward in this case."
While $1 million is a tempting sum for anyone, the length of time that has passed since Nancy went missing makes it more unlikely by the day that the medically fragile woman will be safely returned to her family.