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 after throat surgery.
The 54-year-old host had been absent from the NBC morning show for three weeks while he underwent corrective surgery to repair damaged vocal cords.
Guthrie documented his trip in a segment that aired upon his return.
The mini segment showed the deterioration of his voice quality in recent months and the surgical procedure that finally gave him a new start.
Guthrie revealed that specialists discovered a broken blood vessel on one vocal cord and an overuse callus on the other.
The surgery lasted an hour and then required eight days of complete silence.
During a follow-up appointment, Guthrie broke down in tears when her doctor asked her to recite her familiar morning greeting.
“Good morning. Today is Tuesday, January 13, 2026. I am 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 his colleagues for covering during his absence and expressed his deep gratitude for NBC’s support.
“Taking three weeks off is a very, very important thing,” he said. “I’m very grateful to be back and I’m ready to go.”
Earlier in the week, Guthrie joined her co-hosts via video and explained that she was still on vocal rest and was only allowed to talk for five to ten minutes each hour.
Guthrie first announced his plan to address his vocal cord issues on December 19, which was his last day on air before surgery.
With his full-time return scheduled for Monday, he now hopes to continue his role in Today with renewed confidence and a stronger voice.
