NBC‘s 2026 Winter Olympics coverage began with love for Savannah Guthrie, the Today show host, who pulled out of the coverage amid her mother’s disappearance.
Terry Gannon and Mary Carillo stepped in to host the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, and acknowledged Guthrie’s absence, who has been a central figure of these coverages over the years.
“We are certainly without a very important, beloved member of our team tonight, our friend and colleague Savannah Guthrie,” Gannon said. “She is dearly missed by everybody here.”
Carillo added that Guthrie has covered so many opening ceremonies and “she loves them,” adding, “Right now, of course, Savannah and her family are in unspeakable, unfathomable pain. We know in the U.S. that her extended family is legion. Savannah, my friend, it’s the same way here.”
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Gannon noted that Savannah “always loved the Olympics,” and said, “We send our love and our prayers and all of our positive energy to Savannah tonight.”
Guthrie was scheduled to travel to Italy to cover the Winter Olympics, but after her mother’s disappearance over the weekend, NBC Sports confirmed she would not host.
“Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” an NBC Sports spokesperson said earlier this week. “Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother. We will share additional information about our Opening Ceremony coverage plans soon.”
Possible DNA evidence was found at what is now being considered a crime scene, with the Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos telling Today, “We took some samples that we hope will have a DNA profile that gives us some identification as to what we’re looking at.”
Guthrie’s family has taken to social media to ask the public for any leads on the whereabouts of her mother, Nancy Guthrie.
A teary-eyed Savannah Guthrie said in the Instagram post with her siblings, “As a family, we are doing everything we can. We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know, without a doubt, that she’s alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”