Savannah Guthrie was forced to exit the Today show studio mid-broadcast this morning after testing positive for COVID-19 for the third time – while her co-host Hoda Kotb remained off the air for the seventh day in a row.
Despite appearing on the show for the first 30-or-so-minutes, viewers were left confused when Savannah, 51, suddenly disappeared with no explanation after a commercial break.
Her co-host Sheinelle Jones – who was sitting close beside Savannah for the half hour that she was on-set – later explained that she ‘wasn’t feeling great’ so she decided to take a COVID-19 test, which came back positive.
‘It has been an interesting morning for us,’ Sheinelle, 44, said during the 8 o’clock hour of the show.
Savannah Guthrie has tested positive for COVID-19 – forcing her to make a surprise early exit from the Today show on Tuesday morning. She is seen on the show on Tuesday morning
Despite appearing on the show for the first 30-or-so-minutes, viewers were left confused when Savannah, 51, suddenly disappeared with no explanation after a commercial break
Her co-host Sheinelle Jones – who was seated close beside Savannah – later explained that she ‘wasn’t feeling great’ so she decided to take a COVID-19 test, which came back positive
Savannah’s illness comes as her longtime friend and co-host Hoda Kotb remained off-the-air for the seventh day in a row. Hoda is seen on the show on February 17 – the last time she was on
‘Savannah left early, she wasn’t feeling great, so she took a COVID test. It came back positive.
‘As soon as we found out, she rushed home to rest up. So Savannah, we love you, wishing you a speedy recovery.’
Willie Geist ended up stepping in for Savannah, who has had had COVID twice before this – first in January 2022 and again in May 2022.
Willie Geist (seen on the show on Tuesday morning) ended up stepping in for Savannah, who has had had COVID twice before this – first in January 2022 and again in May 2022
Savannah was not the only vital member of the Today show who was missing – Hoda, 58, has noticeably been absent from the show for more than a week now.
Her last appearance on-air was on February 17, although she was featured on a pre-taped episode of Today with Hoda and Jenna, alongside Jenna Bush Hager, on February 20.
People were also quick to notice that she failed to release an episode of her weekly podcast, Making Space, this week.
The TV personality has not yet publicly revealed her reason for being away.
However, the mother-of-two has continued to post on her Instagram account during her absence, regularly sharing inspirational quotes, including one last week that read: ‘One day you will see just how brave you have been.’
Hoda, 58, has been absent for more than a week but the TV host has not yet revealed her reason for being away
Her last appearance on-air was on February 17. Savannah is seen on Today without Hoda on February 21
Hoda was featured on a pre-taped episode of Hoda and Jenna, alongside Jenna Bush Hager, on February 20, but has been MIA since. Jenna is seen with Sheinelle, who filled in for Hoda
She then shared another post that read, ‘”There are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.”‘
A third message, posted by Hoda over the weekend, stated, ‘Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.’
She also shared a drawing of a sky with clouds that said, ‘Choose hope,’ which she captioned with two heart emojis.
The on-air host has a history of sharing inspirational quotes on her account – and in October 2020 she even published a book of ‘words to live by every day’.
However, Hoda has not had the easiest year last year – as she split from her longtime partner, Joel Schiffman, in January 2022, after nearly a decade together.
She announced that they were going their separate ways on her show Hoda & Jenna, explaining that they decided they were ‘better as friends and parents than they were as an engaged couple.’
The mother-of-two has shared a series of cryptic posts to her Instagram in recent days, some of which, are seen above
Hoda didn’t have the easiest year last year – as she split from her longtime partner, Joel Schiffman (seen in 2019), in January 2022, after nearly a decade together
The Today show host – who shares adopted daughters Hope Catherine, four, and Haley Joy, six, with Joel – insisted at the time that there was no bad blood between the two of them
The Today show host – who shares adopted daughters Hope Catherine, four, and Haley Joy, six, with Joel – insisted at the time that there was no bad blood between the two of them.
She announced that they were going their separate ways on her show Hoda & Jenna, explaining that they decided they were ‘better as friends and parents than they were as an engaged couple’
‘Joel and I have had a lot of prayer and meaningful conversations over the holidays and we decided that we are better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple,’ she said.
‘So we decided we are going to start this new year on our new path as loving parents to our adorably delightful children and as friends.
‘Its not like something happened. They say sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason, a season or a lifetime, this was for a season.’
During the episode, Hoda, who brought it up after her co-host Jenna pointed out that she wasn’t wearing her engagement ring, said it felt ‘weird and awkward’ to talk about it publicly, but added that she wanted to focus on the ‘joyous moments’ they had together.
She concluded: ‘A lot of women know what this feels like to be changing course in life I feel really breathe in this moment which is a strange feeling to feel. Sometimes in your life, you have to say the truth.’
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