Savannah Guthrie ‘Fighting to Save Her Job’ After ‘Today’ Ratings Soared While She Was on Leave

Today host Savannah Guthrie is in panic mode after the show’s ratings soared since she took time off for a vocal cord surgery.

During that period — the final week of December 2025 and the first week of 2026 — Today had 12 percent more viewers compared to the previous year. It even beat ABC rival Good Morning America, with 2.86 million people tuning in, according to the Nielsen ratings.

“Savannah’s panicking and for very good reason — she’s fighting to save her job!” an insider tells the National Enquirer. “Of course, she’s aware that the ratings have shot up since she’s been on leave and that’s a very bad look, however she may try to spin it.”

Since the veteran anchor announced Dec. 19 that she had to take time off to have nodules and a polyp surgically removed from her vocal cords, Sheinelle Jones has been filling in for her in Studio 1A alongside coanchor Craig Melvin.

Show staffers say they feel the atmosphere on the set has improved markedly in Guthrie’s absence — there’s less tension and the cohosts’ interactions feel more natural and the conversations less stilted. Viewers are clearly enjoying the more relaxed, convivial ambience.

According to an insider, an alarmed Guthrie, who’s been coanchoring the show since 2012, has been pushing her doctors to allow her to get back on the air as soon as possible.

She’s also desperate to be better in time to host NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics, which start Feb. 6 in Italy.

“Savannah is a realist and at the end of the day, she knows ratings count for everything and it’s not a popularity contest but a business. She’s been dealing with that pressure from the get-go — everyone at the show is glued to ratings and they’re always under colossal scrutiny.”

Guthrie reportedly earns $8 million a year, making her paycheck one of the show’s biggest, and she knows she needs to justify that outlay to her bosses.

“When she comes back on air the spotlight and pressure will be on her, big-time!” says a source. “She know she’s fighting to save her job.”