Savannah Guthrie is taking on a new challenge at NBC. The Today anchor, 54, shared the news during Monday’s morning show that the network is launching a new game show inspired by Wordle — the widely popular online word game owned by The New York Times — with the support of executive producer Jimmy Fallon.
“This is very exciting,” Guthrie said. “I have a big announcement to make.”
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon host added: “We’ve been developing Wordle as a game show for the past two-and-a-half years with The New York Times, and it’s official — we are making Wordle Game Show with our host, Savannah Guthrie!”
Guthrie responded: “We’ve been holding this secret between us for a long time now.”
Wordle is a daily puzzle game that became a global sensation after its launch in 2021, leading to its acquisition by The New York Times a year later. While the exact format of the game show remains unknown, Guthrie hinted that it will be “super fast-paced and fun” and a “great family game.”
“I love a game and a show that you can watch with kids and feel like they’re learning some things,” she said.
Fallon praised Guthrie, noting that she is a known Wordle player and the ideal choice to host the show.
“We were looking, we’re like, ‘Who’s the perfect host for this? We need someone who looks like they play Wordle, someone who knows how to run a show and host it,’” Fallon said. “And we did the pilot, and you are amazing.”
The Today co-anchor is set to film the game show this summer, with casting currently open until May 29. The air date has not yet been announced.
Guthrie mentioned that the game show was originally scheduled to start filming in March, but she had to step away from the project amid the search for her mother, Nancy Guthrie.
Nancy, 84, disappeared from her Arizona home nearly 100 days ago in what investigators believe was an abduction. There is no evidence as to whether Nancy is alive, and no suspect has been identified in the case.
“When everything happened with me and my family, they just stopped everything and said, ‘We’ll wait for you,’” Guthrie said. “And Hollywood is like a really tough business, as you know, and I didn’t expect that. And I just want to say, thank you. It means so much to me.”
Fallon replied: “We can’t do it without you. We need you, bud. You’re so good, and it’s so fun. I can’t wait for everyone to see it. It’s fantastic.”
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