Savannah Guthrie's Colleagues Get Torn To Shreds For 'Gross' Behavior Amid Nancy's Kidnapping

In times of harrowing personal tragedy, it is most often our friends and colleagues we can turn to for support and solidarity. However, NBC "Today" show host, Savannah Guthrie, might find that there are snakes in the grass of her TV family. The revelation that her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reportedly missing from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1, 2026 put a terrifying twist on an already difficult year. As if to dig the knife in further, the release of a ransom note has raised further inquiry and speculation into the circumstances surrounding the believed kidnapping. However, given the personal nature of the story and Savannah's exit from "Today" while Nancy is missing, audiences were shocked by reports that fellow NBC employees wanted to consider the story for their "Dateline" program.

One insider revealed that the idea is motivated by numbers, as " ... Dateline wants a hit, and everyone knows this could be the highest-rated episode they've ever had" (via Daily Mail). However, while the green light would ultimately be up to Savannah, the public is seemingly appalled by the fact that the network would even consider exploiting the personal tragedy for profit. Commenters were quick to come to the anchor's defense, with one referring to her NBC coworkers as "Vultures," and another saying, "Gross people." Many other commenters agreed, and one commenter emphasized their preference to watch the show if the case is solved, calling into question the reason to make the episode beforehand.

A few weeks before Savannah Guthrie's mother went missing, the anchor was away from her TV career due to an issue with her vocal cords. While Guthrie went on hiatus for surgery, one source told the Daily Mail that, "Without Savannah [on air], the vibe shifted immediately. It stopped feeling like a classroom and started feeling like a group of equals. ... It feels more collaborative, more relaxed. The show feels warmer." However, the tragedy of her mother's reported abduction has forced her colleagues to acknowledge Guthrie's humanity despite inner-office power dynamics, with one source reflecting, "It makes you see someone in a totally different light — not the hard-driving ambitious TV star but a vulnerable frightened woman who is in the middle of a nightmare."

However, despite this seeming change of heart, audiences were still not pleased with the NBC crew's apparent resentment of their leading lady. While some were pleased with the obvious backtracking, many were quick to call out the hypocrisy of their complaints. One commenter pointed out how, "Everyone on that show is cutthroat. Very competitive studio," while another addressed how, "Their complaints about Savannah were that she is a leader?! Sounds like a bunch of whiners!!" It seems that despite their best efforts, the team at NBC are going to have a hard time regaining viewers' trust. Guthrie hasn't had an easy life, but at the very least the public and many of her fellow anchors, such as Craig Melvin, are vehemently rallying behind her with compassion.