Savannah Guthrie © NBC

Savannah Guthrie steps away from Today Show studio days after returning to work

The Today Show star has had a busy few weeks!

US Managing Editor
August 21, 2024

Savannah Guthrie had just got back to work on Monday after taking some time off to be with her family over the summer, but on Wednesday, she stepped away from the Today Show studios - this time for a very important assignment.

At the start of the show on August 21, rather than sitting alongside Hoda Kotb on the famous news desk, she was instead live broadcasting from Chicago, where she had flown to overnight.

The star was there reporting on the latest Democratic National Rally, which saw Barack and Michelle Obama, among other notable figures, give speeches in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. 

Savannah Guthrie 'lands' movie role on Today Show

Later on in the show, Craig Melvin joined Hoda at the desk, while Savannah continued to report from Chicago. 

Savannah spent last week at her home in Upstate New York to enjoy some quality time with her children and husband, Michael Feldman.

Savannah Guthrie reported from Chicago on Wednesday's Today Show, rather than in the studios

During her time off, they celebrated her daughter Vale's tenth birthday, and the star shared several photos from the festivities on social media.

The journalist is used to traveling for work and is often flying overnight to report on world events, both in the United States and overseas.

© NBC

Savannah was missing from Today last week, with Craig Melvin keeping her seat warm

She has been working for Today since July 2012, and in 2022 when she marked a decade on the show, her family came on air to surprise her during a special anniversary episode. 

Savannah's path to journalism was incredibly bold, as she was set on becoming a lawyer, but realised that her calling was in broadcasting. She had originally worked in broadcasting before going to law school but had reached the "medium market" and felt that she wasn't ever going to be good enough to go any further. 

© NBC

Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb with Craig Melvin in the Today studios

Explaining her impressive story on Brooke Shield's podcast, Now What?, Savannah said: "I was in a medium market and it was time to try and reach that big market," she told Brooke.

"Honestly, I felt like I wasn't good enough. I was dreading the process of having to send out tapes, I could never do your job. I couldn't deal with the rejection."I was like, 'You know what I'm going to do. I'm going to take the LSAT, and I will see how I do and I will have it in my back pocket. So if I can't get a job in a bigger market, I can apply for law school. It was my Plan B in a way."

© NBC

Savannah has worked on the Today Show since 2012

After applying and getting into law school and getting a good job in a law firm, she had a feeling that it wasn't what she was meant to be doing. 

On the moment she dramatically quit to follow her dreams, she said: "So I called the judge, and this never happens, you don't quit a clerkship before you've begun, but I did. He said, 'come in and see me'. 

"I tried to explain to him that I had this dream, and it's what I want to do, and he asked me if I had a job offer. I said 'No sir.'

© Instagram

Savannah took last week off to be with her family

He said 'Do you have any leads or prospects, why now?' And I said 'No, I have nothing.'"prospects, why now?' And I said 'No, I have nothing.'"

She continued: "He said 'I get it, it's your dream. Why don't you come and do this clerkship and then do it afterwards, it's only a year. You're only going to be enhanced by this experience.'

© Getty Images

Savannah with her Today co-stars at her book launch party in February

"And I said 'judge, I know you are right, this makes perfect sense. But I know myself, and if I don't do it now, I'm never going to have the courage again.'And so he just said 'Okay'."

The rest is history, and Savannah is now one of the most well-known broadcasters in the United States, thanks to her role on the Today Show.

She has also had a successful career in writing, and published her latest book, Mostly What God Does, at the beginning of the year.

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