Savannah Guthrie is back in the Big Apple! The Today host returned to the show’s studio in New York City on Monday, March 11, after being sent out on a special assignment.

On March 8, Savannah, 52, did not appear in person in the Today studio with cohost Hoda Kotb. Instead, she appeared virtually on a split screen while she was in Washington, D.C.

“Hoda, you are there in the studio holding it down,” the legal analyst said, adding, “I’m here in Washington. We had the State of the Union last night.”

Savannah joined Lester Holt in leading NBC’s coverage of the State of the Union on March 7. Former Weekend Today cohost Kristen Welker also joined them for the network’s special coverage. The move made sense considering Savannah served as a White House correspondent on NBC from 2008 to 2011 before becoming a full-time member of the Today team.

The busy week saw several hosts missing from NBC broadcasts and temporarily replaced by fill-in anchors, and others shifting around to help out in other roles. Amid the whirlwind release of her new book, Mostly What God Does, Savannah missed multiple Today broadcasts in February while attending stops on her book tour and making media appearances.

Craig Melvin was also missing from the NYC studio on March 8, instead appearing in Tucson, Arizona, for a special segment. Weekend Today’s Laura Jarrett appeared in the studio to help cohost the show instead.

Savannah Guthrie sitting in a yellow top and skirt
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

It turns out, Craig’s trip was full of sentiment. Savannah shared a sweet post dedicated to Craig, 44, on her Instagram account.

“This is a @craigmelvinnbc appreciation post,” she captioned a photo of her colleague. “This lovely human took time out on his busy visit to my hometown of Tucson, AZ (where he is spending his weekend and personal time supporting @colorectalcanceralliance in honor of his beloved brother Lawrence) to visit my mom and give her a hug. this is friendship and love in action.”

Craig was also back in the Today studio on Monday after his brief trip. He joined Savannah and Hoda at the news desk in his usual spot. In an even more shocking turn of events, Savannah did not attend the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty like she has done in years past. The event took place on March 10, after the 96th Academy Awards.

Last year, Savannah attended the event with her husband, Mike Feldman. The couple, who share kids Vale and Charles, walked the red carpet in style at the party in 2023.