NBC News’ Kristen Welker Steps in for Savannah Guthrie on ‘Today’

A familiar face was back in Studio 1A during the Monday, August 24, episode of Today.

Savannah Guthrie was absent from the NBC morning show on Monday. Filling in for her at the anchor desk alongside Craig Melvin was NBC News’ Kristen Welker.

“We’re gonna get outside and celebrate with everyone in just a few minutes. Thank you so much for starting your Monday morning off with us,” Melvin announced at the top of the episode. “Kristen Welker starting her week off with us while Savannah enjoys some time off.”

Welker, for her part, stated, “I can’t wait to get outside and say hello to everyone, and it’s a gorgeous one out there. The weather is just perfect here.”

Welker is no stranger to Today, as he previously served as the co-host of Weekend Today from 2020 to 2023. “I want to say to our viewers, thank you all for joining us every Saturday for this show that we are so proud of, and the entire Weekend Today team, which is the A-team, the most amazing team in the world,” she gushed during her final episode in August 2023.

“I am so grateful for all of you, for making this a family. We have been a family every single Saturday. To my actual family, [my husband] John and [my daughter] Margo, the loves of my life, to Angie [Lassman] and Joe [Fryer]. I want to thank you guys,” she continued before sharing some kind words about her co-host, Peter Alexander.

NBC

“Peter and I sat together a long, long time ago, and we said to each other, ‘What would it be like if we anchored a show together?’ And it was just a dream that we talked about all the time,” she gushed. “And Peter, to get to anchor this show with you, to get to do something you love with your best friend, someone who has become like a brother to me, has just been the greatest joy of all time. So thank you, thank you, thank you.”

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Welker stepped away from Today to succeed Chuck Todd as the moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press. “This has exceeded my expectations and dreams, but it is truly the greatest honor, the greatest responsibility,” she told Today.com in August 2023. “I am approaching this with the utmost seriousness.”

Laura Jarrett replaced Welker as Alexander’s Weekend Today co-host in September 2023. Alexander exited the show and NBC back in March to prioritize his work-life balance and begin a new hosting role with MS Now. (NBC has not named a permanent replacement for Alexander on Weekend Today.)

Guthrie was one of several hosts absent from Monday’s episode of Today, including Al Roker, Jenna Bush Hager, and Sheinelle Jones. Dylan Dreyer filled in for Roker during the show’s earlier hours, while NBC News’ Kaylee Hartung took over for him during the third hour. (Melvin did not share the reason for her current absence on Monday.)

Earlier this month, Guthrie returned to Today after taking several weeks off to film NBC’s upcoming Wordle game show. Guthrie will host the series based on the popular New York Times game, and Jimmy Fallon will serve as an executive producer.

“We’re about to do it. Guys, I’m headed over to shoot Wordle. Over the next few weeks, we’re gonna shoot the whole season, and we’re super excited,” she teased during Today‘s July 16 episode. “Cannot wait for everyone to see it. It’ll probably air, I think, in the new year.”

Today, Weekdays, 7 am/6c, NBC