Savannah Guthrie is officially back — and she sounds a little different.
The Today show co-host popped up via Zoom on Tuesday to reveal what she jokingly called her “new voice” following vocal cord surgery that sidelined her from the NBC morning show for several weeks.
“This is my new voice — or my old voice! But my new voice!” Guthrie laughed, as she explained she’s still under strict doctor’s orders while recovering.
Guthrie, who stepped away from the Today desk in mid-December, told her co-hosts she’s currently only allowed to speak for five to 10 minutes every hour — a tough restriction for someone whose job literally revolves around talking.
“I am still on vocal surgery,” she joked, briefly pretending she couldn’t speak at all by answering questions on a whiteboard before admitting she is, in fact, allowed limited conversation.
She reassured viewers that the procedure was a success, though recovery takes patience.
“The good news is, it worked,” Guthrie said, noting that fellow host Sheinelle Jones previously went through the same surgery. “It’s kind of a slow recovery. If you talk too much — which is a real risk for me — you really feel it, so you have to take it easy.”
The longtime anchor also revealed she’ll be easing back into work soon. She plans to appear on the show Friday for a special segment documenting the experience, with a full return to the Today desk scheduled for next Monday.
Back in December, Guthrie told viewers her voice issues had been years in the making. Doctors ultimately discovered vocal nodules and a polyp on her vocal cords.
“Some of you have noticed my voice has been very scratchy and started to crack,” she said at the time. “I’ve had this going on for years, honestly, and I’m just grateful there’s a solution.”
For now, Guthrie is taking things slow — but fans can expect to hear plenty more from her very soon.
On the Today Show, NO VOICE AT ALL would be the best voice. If you want the truth, watch Real America’s Voice.