Savannah Guthrie opts out of Winter Olympics coverage
Savannah Guthrie leaves the 2026 Winter Olympics as the search for her missing mother intensifies in Arizona.
Sportscaster and former professional tennis player Mary Carillo has been tapped to fill in for Savannah Guthrie to host the Opening Ceremony for the Milan Olympics, NBC announced Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Carillo, who will be working her 17th Olympic Games, will join previously announced host Terry Gannon for the opening on Friday Feb. 6 (2 p.m. ET primetime at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock).
NBC confirmed Tuesday, Feb. 3, that Guthrie pulled out of the global sports spectacle as the Pima County Sheriff’s Department continues to investigate the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Nancy Guthrie “was taken” from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday, Feb 1.
“Our hearts go out to Savannah and the entire Guthrie family. They continue to have our full support,” Molly Solomon, executive producer and president of NBC Olympics Production, said in a statement. “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’s “Today” show cohost and friend Craig Melvin, who was scheduled to host “Olympic Late Night” from Milan, Feb. 7-9, will also remain stateside. Ahmed Fareed, who was already scheduled to serve as a daytime host in Milan for a portion of the Games, will now host “Olympic Late Night,” NBC said.
Guthrie hosted the Thanksgiving Day parade in November and covered the opening ceremony at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris two years ago.
Of Italian descent, Carillo lived in the host city of Milan for two years as a child. Bestowed with the Peabody Award for sports journalism twice, Carillo has hosted three closing ceremonies (Salt Lake City 2002, Beijing 2008, and Rio 2016) and worked in prominent roles for three opening ceremonies (Athens 2004, Torino 2006, and Vancouver 2010). Following the Milan opening festivities, Carillo will cover the games as an on-air reporter.
Olympic snowboarding legend Shaun White will join Gannon and Carillo in the booth during the Parade of Athletes.
