Savannah Guthrie’s emotional return to Today was marked by tears of gratitude as the longtime host heard her newly restored voice for the first time following throat surgery.
The 54-year-old anchor had been absent from the NBC morning show for three weeks while he underwent corrective surgery to repair damaged vocal cords.
Guthrie documented her journey in a segment that aired upon her return.
The mini-segment showed the decline in her voice quality over the past months and the surgical procedure that ultimately gave her a fresh start.
Guthrie revealed that specialists discovered a burst blood vessel on one vocal cord and a callus from overuse on the other.
The operation lasted one hour and required eight days of complete silence afterwards.
During a follow-up interview, Guthrie broke down in tears when asked by her doctor to recite her familiar morning greeting.
“Good morning. Today is Tuesday, January 13, 2026. I’m using my voice for the first time and it sounds good. I could cry,” she said, visibly moved by the transformation.
Back in the studio, Guthrie thanked her colleagues for covering her absence and expressed deep appreciation for NBC’s support.
“Taking three weeks off is a big, big deal,” she said. “I’m so grateful to be back and I’m ready to go.”
Earlier this week, Guthrie joined her co-hosts via video feed and explained that she was still on vocal rest and was only allowed to speak for five to ten minutes each hour.
Guthrie first announced her plan to address her vocal cord issues on December 19, her last day on air before surgery.
With her full-time return set for Monday, she is now looking forward to continuing her role Today with renewed confidence and a stronger voice.
