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Today Stars Fill In For Absences
21 Jul
Summary
- Sheinelle Jones and Willie Geist filled in for absent co-hosts.
- Savannah Guthrie is filming a new Wordle game show.
- Al Roker and Craig Melvin were also absent from the broadcast.
On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Sheinelle Jones and Willie Geist stepped in as co-anchors on the Today show, filling in for Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin who were taking pre-planned time off. Geist announced that Guthrie was filming the initial episodes of the new Wordle game show for NBC. Melvin was enjoying a family vacation. Dylan Dreyer also joined the broadcast, filling in for Al Roker. Guthrie had announced her temporary departure for a few weeks on July 16, 2026, to film the entire season of the Wordle game show, a project she had been developing with Jimmy Fallon and The New York Times for over two years. The show's pilot was successfully filmed, with Guthrie receiving praise for her hosting abilities. The game show is described as fast-paced, fun, and suitable for families. Guthrie also expressed gratitude for the production pausing when her mother was reported missing earlier in the year. Her mother's abduction from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1, 2026, remains under investigation by the FBI and local authorities, with no suspects or arrests made as of yet.
