SAVANNAH Guthrie’s highly anticipated return to the Today show on April 6 didn’t spark the buzz NBC hoped for, with modest crowds and underwhelming ratings.
The network had beefed up security expecting a turnout akin to a Justin Bieber concert, but only a small group gathered outside Studio 1A.
Hollywood insider Rob Shuter revealed that while viewership ticked up by 6 percent overall, the key 25–54 demographic only rose by 2 percent — far from the bonanza NBC envisioned.
The complicated and ongoing mystery of Guthrie’s mother Nancy’s abduction earlier this year may have tempered audience enthusiasm.
Shuter pointed out, “Savannah was never a big star. People have empathy for her, great empathy for her, but it didn’t make her a big star, even now that they really want to watch her deliver the news.”
He also reflected on how the morning show landscape has shifted dramatically since the heyday of Matt Lauer and Katie Couric, when hosts were genuine celebrities drawing millions.
“The Today show still operates as if it’s 2000,” he said. “They still think that they are the most important game in town. And that’s no longer the case.”
“So wake up, smell the coffee,” Shuter advised NBC.
Despite the quiet return, Guthrie remains a steady presence on the show, navigating a challenging personal chapter under the public eye.