UPDATE (1/5/26 at 4:28 p.m. ET): Savannah Guthrie just gave fans a positive health update amid her medical leave from NBC’s Today.
Guthrie confirmed she underwent her surgery to remove vocal nodules and a polyp in a Monday, January 5, Instagram post. “See you soon! 💛,” she wrote alongside a snap of herself using the dry-erase board she was gifted by Sheinelle Jones to use during her recovery.
On the board, she wrote, “All good! Thanks for prayers and love!”
Fans and Guthrie’s fellow Today personalities sent her well-wishes in the post’s comments. “Feel better my girlxxxx,” Hoda Kotb shared, while the Instagram account for Today Show Radio wrote, “Can’t wait to hear that voice again soon ❤️.”
“So happy to hear all went well ! Sending healing ❤️🩹 vibes,” one fan commented. Another added, “Wonderful news!!! I’m praying for you and wishing you well and a speedy recovery!!! ♥♥.”
A different user cautioned, “I had that surgery too. Don’t even THINK about whispering. That’s event more of a strain on those beautiful vocal cords. 🙏🏻.” Someone else shared, “Thanks for posting, can’t wait to hear your fully recovered voice on Today once again! Rest up!”
UPDATE (1/5/26 at 9:53 a.m. ET): The hosts of NBC’s Today officially returned from their holiday breaks on Monday, January 5. But one familiar face was noticeably missing.
Savannah Guthrie was absent from Monday’s episode, with Sheinelle Jones filling in as Craig Melvin‘s coanchor. The episode marked Guthrie’s first regular absence on medical leave, as she announced last month that she would be taking time off from the show in early 2026 to undergo surgery for vocal nodules and a polyp.
Guthrie, however, did kick off her 2026 on Today. She and more of the regular cast appeared on the show’s prerecorded New Year’s Day episode on Thursday, January 1. Weekend Today‘s Laura Jarrett and Peter Alexander previously took over hosting duties for Guthrie and Melvin over the holidays.
Guthrie’s official return date has not been announced.
ORIGINAL STORY (12/19/25 at 10:17 a.m. ET):
Savannah Guthrie surprised Today fans with some health news on the show’s Friday, December 19, episode.
“Some of you have noticed that my voice has been very scratchy and started to crack,” Guthrie stated. “I have found out what it is. I have vocal nodules, and now, I also have a polyp. It’s not a big, big deal, but I am gonna have to have a surgery real early in the new year and be off for a couple of weeks.”
Guthrie revealed that Friday’s episode would be her “last day” before the surgery. “If you’ve been wondering, do I have the world’s longest head cold? No, I don’t,” she stated before telling her cohosts, “You’ll love this, guys. I have to be silent for a couple of weeks. Totally silent. I know, the jokes write themselves.”
Al Roker went on to joke, “It’s the best time of the year for Mike Feldman!” Guthrie added, “I know. Christmas coming early for my family.” (Guthrie shares her daughter Vale, 11, and son Charley, 9, with her husband, Michael Feldman.)
Sheinelle Jones recalled undergoing a similar surgery to remove a vocal polyp in 2020. She told Guthrie that the “silver lining” of the procedure is that she will have “permission to be still.” Jones continued, “The house gets quiet. The kids are gonna want to help you out. This is what I had in my house, and now, my friend, I’m passing it to you.”
Jones went on to hilariously gift Guthrie a dry-erase board to use during her recovery, while Craig Melvin offered Guthrie “prayers for healing.”
“I’m actually really excited about it. I’m excited to start. This has been going on for years, honestly,” Guthrie stated, while Jones suggested that she could come out of the surgery with the ability to sing well.
“I used to be able to sing, and then I couldn’t sing anymore, and then I couldn’t speak anymore. So, who knows? The tour’s happening in 2026. Let’s go!” Guthrie quipped before throwing to a commercial break.
Today fans offered Guthrie well-wishes via social media. “I hope all goes excellent! Speedy recovery ❤️🩹 @savannahguthrie 🙏🏿,” one person commented on Today‘s Instagram page on Friday. Another added, “All the best – you will be missed❤️.”
Someone else shared, “Sending you positive thoughts and prayers and wishing you a speedy recovery ❤️🩹 🙏🏻.” A different person wrote, “I noticed that over time her voice sounded that way. I though[t] She had a cold. Feel better! ❤️.”
Guthrie shared the surgery announcement via her own Instagram. “Get a supper bell 🔔 to go with it. You’re going to be just fine. God bless you ❤️,” one fan commented underneath the post. “Prayers for a speedy recovery! We’ll miss you!” another person added.
“Best of luck, you got this. Sending positive vibes for a speedy recovery,” a separate person wrote, while a different commenter posted, “Speedy recovery! I had that done years ago. The hardest part for me was not being able to talk for awhile after until my voice returned so I was writing everything down-lol!!”
Today, Weekdays, 7 a.m./6c, NBC
