Savannah Guthrie Returns To Today With New Voice

For millions of Americans, Savannah Guthrie’s familiar voice is a daily companion on NBC’s Today show. But for the past several weeks, viewers have noticed her absence—and wondered what exactly was going on behind the scenes. Now, after a challenging medical journey, Guthrie is back and speaking openly about her ordeal, her recovery, and the emotional impact of regaining her voice.

It all began in December 2025, when the 54-year-old co-anchor announced she’d be taking a hiatus from Today to undergo major vocal cord surgery. According to NBC News, Guthrie had been struggling with a voice that was growing deeper and raspier, something she initially chalked up to normal aging and the wear and tear of a broadcasting career. But as the issue worsened—sometimes making it hard to finish a sentence—she knew she needed answers.

That’s when Guthrie turned to Dr. Peak Woo, an otolaryngologist at Mount Sinai and a leading voice specialist. After a thorough examination using a stroboscope, Dr. Woo diagnosed her with a hemorrhagic polyp on one vocal cord and a nodule on the other—a ruptured blood vessel and a callus, both caused by overuse. “What I saw was a hemorrhagic polyp on one side and vocal nodule on the other side,” Dr. Woo explained to NBC News. These growths aren’t uncommon among people who use their voices professionally, like teachers or broadcasters, and can result from talking too much, too loudly, or from lingering laryngitis.

“Some of you have noticed that my voice has been very scratchy and started to crack a little bit,” Guthrie told viewers in late December, according to the Daily Mail. “Well, I have found out what it is. I have vocal nodules and I also have a polyp. It’s not a big, big deal, but I am going to have to have a surgery in the new year and be off for a couple of weeks, so this is my last day for a little while.” She admitted feeling “really excited” to finally have a diagnosis after years of uncertainty: “This has been going on for years, honestly, so to have a solution.”

The solution was microlaryngeal surgery—a delicate procedure performed under anesthesia using microscopic instruments, as explained by Dr. Woo on NBC News. “We use instruments about the size of an ant’s head to carefully remove the polyp portion but preserving the tissue surrounding it so that it should be able to vibrate.” The surgery was a success, but the real challenge lay ahead: recovery.

For the first eight days after her mid-December surgery, Guthrie had to remain completely silent. Not an easy feat for a mother of two young children—Vale, 11, and Charley, 9, whom she shares with husband Michael Feldman. At home, she communicated using a whiteboard, even sharing a lighthearted exchange with Feldman: when he joked, “Doc says you can’t argue with me for a week,” she scribbled back, “Milkshake.”

Her children, meanwhile, weren’t convinced their mom could truly stay quiet. “They told their mom she was ‘still loud’ during vocal rest,” NBC News reported. The silent recovery was, in Guthrie’s words, “perhaps the toughest assignment of my life.”

After two weeks of strict silence and minimal speaking, Guthrie began to test her new voice under medical supervision. On January 13, 2026, during a follow-up with Dr. Woo, she tried out her vocal cords for the first time post-surgery. “Good morning, today is Tuesday, Jan. 13th, 2026,” she said, her voice clear and strong. Hearing herself, she became emotional: “It sounds so good, I could cry. Once again, I was speechless.” Dr. Woo reflected on the moment, saying, “The voice is really an expression of your soul. And when you suddenly restore it, it can be emotional.”

To rebuild her vocal strength, Guthrie began working with voice therapist Shirley Tennyson. The exercises might sound simple—humming through a straw into water, for example—but they’re designed to strengthen the vocal cords without causing strain. “It’s just like going to PT after an injury,” Guthrie explained. Tennyson told NBC News, “Our goal is to preserve this wonderful new voice that has emerged and get it stronger.”

On January 20, 2026, Guthrie made a surprise video call to her Today co-hosts—Al Roker, Craig Melvin, Jenna Bush Hager, Sheinelle Jones, and Carson Daly—revealing her “new voice” live on air for the first time since surgery. She began with her trusty whiteboard but quickly set it aside, saying, “You know what? I think it would be easier for me to just talk.” Her co-hosts reacted with delight. “Savannah, you sound so good!” Sheinelle Jones exclaimed. Bush Hager agreed: “It’s beautiful.” Al Roker, ever the joker, quipped, “It sounds the same,” but Craig Melvin disagreed: “No, it sounds… you sound markedly better.”

Guthrie explained her recovery process: “I am still on vocal rest, but I’m allowed to talk for five to 10 minutes every hour. This is my new voice or my old voice, but my new voice.” She emphasized the need to take it slow: “It’s a slow recovery, you’re allowed to talk but if you talk too much—which is a real risk for me—you start to feel it. You have to really take it easy.” When Carson Daly asked if she’d tested her new voice by “yelling at her kids yet,” Guthrie joked, “Actually, yes. A long weekend will bring that out. It finally got there.”

Her official return to the Today show is set for Monday, January 26, 2026, though she made a special appearance on January 23 to share an exclusive update on her health and recovery. Guthrie took the opportunity to thank viewers for their outpouring of support. “So many people have been so sweet, I’ve read the comments,” she said, acknowledging the many teachers and professionals who reached out with similar experiences. “It’s very common, like teachers for example, a lot of people have told me that they had the same thing.”

Sheinelle Jones, herself a veteran of similar surgery, added, “It’s a teachable moment because we take our voices for granted, until they don’t work. But you sound fantastic.”

Social media lit up with messages of encouragement and relief from fans. Comments poured in on the Today show’s Instagram: “So happy you’re feeling better!” “Miss you Savannah!” and “Looking forward to your returning!”

As Guthrie continues her recovery, she’s been advised to avoid overusing her voice—except, of course, for her duties on Today. With determination and gratitude, she’s ready to return to the anchor desk, her voice stronger and clearer than it’s been in years. For Guthrie, and for the millions who tune in each morning, that’s something worth celebrating.