Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie returned to the morning show just two months after her mother went missing. As previously noted, it was lackluster and not as exciting as NBC had anticipated. Yet, what had yet to be acknowledged was how disappointing the ratings were. Keep reading for more details on how many viewers tuned in to welcome her back.
Today Hoped For High Ratings
Savannah Guthrie had barely been back on the Today Show when her mother, Nancy, had gone missing. Savannah had undergone vocal cord surgery and was settling back in when her 84-year-old mother was abducted in Tucson, Arizona. Hoda Kotb came back to fill in for her good friend, and no one knew what would happen with Savannah. Could she come back amid all of the horrific stuff going on in her life? Ultimately, she opted to return right after Easter, and there was a hope that it would be an epic event.
Allegedly, it was set up like a massive moment, almost like a concert, per Rob Shuter. He appeared on The Megyn Kelly Show and detailed what NBC allegedly believed would happen on Savannah’s first day:
“The show really thought this was going to be a massive moment. Everybody at NBC thought there were going to be hundreds of people, if not thousands of people in The Plaza. They hired extra security. They thought this was going to be like a pop concert, like Justin Bieber was in The Plaza.”
There was a good reason for this belief, as fans had been following the Nancy Guthrie story from the beginning. They consistently awaited updates and prayed for Savannah Guthrie. However, it was not as grand a crowd as anticipated. Yes, many people showed up, but not nearly what NBC had prepared for. As for ratings, this was somewhat of a disaster, as they should have been through the roof. They did go up slightly, but just 6% among viewers 55 and up and 2% among demo viewers 25-54.
Everyone Should Tune In
After what Savannah Guthrie had been through with her mother, it felt like everyone should tune into her return to Today. She had been gone for two months, and many felt that maybe she should focus her attention elsewhere. However, this is her home, and she needed some semblance of normalcy. Unfortunately for NBC, they did not get exactly what they wanted when it came to boosted ratings, but it was not about that. Viewers were just happy to see her back in the studio and smiling despite the circumstances.
Are you shocked that ratings were not better for Savannah Guthrie’s Today return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Amanda has been a professional freelance writer for over a decade, holding both a BA and an MA. Her passions include animals, iced coffee, gnomes, summer, music, and ‘Vanderpump Rules’.
