Savannah Guthrie became co-anchor of NBC's Today show in July 2012, and has helped keep
the morning show at the top of the ratings ever since.
While Guthrie sometimes reveals tidbits about herself on the show, she generally keeps it
professional, preferring to probe her interview subject's personal lives rather than revealing
her own.
So let's turn the tables on her and dive into the untold truth of this popular member of
the press.
Aussie born
Though she grew up in Arizona, Guthrie was born in Melbourne, Australia.
Her family moved down under when her dad was transferred there for his job, but they were
back Stateside by the time Guthrie was 2 years old.
Guthrie told People:
"I have no memory of it because I was too young, but growing up and knowing that I was
born in Australia was always this interesting exotic part of my history that I love."
In May 2015, she returned to her birthplace for the first time as part of Today's Mother's
Day programming.
Alongside her mom, Nancy Guthrie, Savannah took in the sights of the country, but also
went on an emotional trip down memory lane, visiting her childhood home as well as the
hospital where she was born.
Savannah said:
"I think seeing the very place you were born is not something most people get to do or
see.
To get to go back with my mom, it's just really special."
Four-year marriage
As of this video, Guthrie is married to consultant and PR guru Michael Feldman.
They wed in March 2014, and have two children together.
But what her audience might not know is that Guthrie was previously married to BBC News
producer Mark Orchard.
A National Enquirer story alleged that Guthrie came between Orchard and his first wife, reporter
Anne Kornblut of The New York Times.
Radar reported that Guthrie and Orchard's 2005 marriage began to unravel relatively
quickly, citing divorce documents that stated they were "living apart" in Washington DC
by August 2008.
The Hollywood Reporter said the split took place when Guthrie was working long, stressful
hours as a White House correspondent for NBC News.
Perhaps the drama surrounding her first marriage was the reason Guthrie and Feldman decided
to keep their wedding a secret until after they walked down the aisle.
Close to home
On Nov. 29, 2017, Guthrie had to announce colleague Matt Lauer's termination from Today.
"Dear colleagues, on Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about
inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer..."
Having only learned about his firing just hours before, Guthrie was clearly distraught
about the situation.
"I am heartbroken for Matt, he is my dear dear friend, my partner and he has been loved
by many many people here."
That's not the first time Guthrie has been candid about her affection for Lauer.
She surprised him on his 20th anniversary with Today by popping into the show even though
she was on maternity leave at the time.
Guthrie also tweeted about Lauer that day, calling him "a class act, great friend, and
once in a generation talent."
Those feelings are mutual.
In a 2014 interview with Variety, Lauer said Guthrie directly contributed to him re-signing
his Today contract, saying: "I love working with her.
I am having a good time.
I love the direction the show is taking."
Maternity leave
Though it was announced that she would return from her 2017 maternity leave on March 3,
Guthrie was back on the Today couch four days early, according to Page Six.
The site also claimed that Today producers begged Guthrie to return because her absence
was causing a ratings slide, citing a source who said:
"They needed Savannah to bail them out, so they rushed her from maternity leave.
NBC claimed it was because of the influx of news, but the reality is that the show was
down double-digits and they needed her."
It was a surprising move for Guthrie, considering her feelings toward her first maternity leave,
about which she said: "It's amazing and kind of transforming to give your mind and your
heart and your soul a break from the crazy, busy world and just be focused on something
that's so simple and true and from the heart.
It's just been magical."
Eagles fan
Though she was raised in Arizona, Guthrie and her entire family unabashedly root for
The Philadelphia Eagles every Sunday during the NFL season.
They even wear custom jerseys when cheering on The Birds, like any respectable member
of Eagle Nation would.
The source of the rabid fandom seems to stem from Guthrie's husband.
She once blogged, "Mike insists that [his daughter Vale] wear her Eagles jersey for
every Eagles football game.
One time I didn't put it on.
The Eagles lost.
Mike said, 'She will wear that Eagles jersey from here on out.'
So I don't mess with it."
She lost her father
During a 2016 Hollywood Reporter interview, Guthrie revealed that her father passed away
from a heart attack while in Mexico as part of his job as a mining engineer.
She was a teenager at the time.
She said of the tragedy: "When you're 16, you think you're so grown up.
[...] But the first thing I thought was, 'We still need him.'"
In her blog for Guideposts, she wrote, "To me, at 16, it felt like a betrayal of everything
I'd believed in.
How could God let this happen to my dad—a good man who was only in his forties?
How could he do this to our family?"
She's terrified of frogs
In a 2011 Today show segment featuring a "country fair," Guthrie revealed an unusual phobia:
she's terrified of frogs.
"I didn't think it would be that big."
According to HuffPost, she later bravely participated in a "game of frog-jumping," although she
still refused to touch any of the frogs.
A few years later, Ellen DeGeneres took full advantage of Guthrie's frog fright by tossing
a fake frog into her lap and then chasing her around the stage with it.
"It's not real, so this is a way to get over it."
"Well that worked, obviously."
Thanks for watching!
Click the Nicki Swift icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Plus check out all this cool stuff we know you'll love, too!