NBC’s coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics took an emotional turn as the broadcast team paused to express their support for Savannah Guthrie amidst the ongoing search for her missing mother.

Guthrie had to step back from her role as a host for the Milan-Cortina Games after her mother, Nancy, vanished on February 1st. The NBC anchor had been set to lead the prime-time coverage of the opening ceremony on Friday night before this personal crisis unfolded.

During the broadcast, Gannon acknowledged the absence, stating, “We are missing an incredibly important and beloved member of our team tonight. Our friend and colleague, Savannah Guthrie, is dearly missed by all of us here.”

Carillo joined in, noting, “Savannah has covered so many Olympics and truly loves being part of it. Right now, however, she and her family are experiencing unimaginable pain.”

She continued, “We know that her extended family in the U.S. is vast. Savannah, my friend, the sentiment is the same here at NBC.”

NBC’s broadcast team paused their coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics to send support to Savannah Guthrie as their search for her mother continues

Savannah Guthrie pulled out of co-hosting the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony following the abduction of her 84-year-old mother Nancy on February 1st

‘We know in the U.S. that her extended family is legion. Savannah, my friend, it’s the same way here.’ 

The tribute comes after an NBC spokesperson said earlier this week: ‘Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother.’

Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday night and reported missing Sunday after missing church. Police say she was forcibly taken from her home in Catalina Foothills.

On Friday, a new ‘ransom note’ was revealed just 20 minutes after an FBI forensics team descended on the home of missing Nancy Guthrie.

The latest message was sent to Tucson-area news outlet KOLD on Friday morning. The outlet previously reported that it was sent a ‘ransom letter’ on Tuesday, as was TMZ. Authorities have not verified the legitimacy of the letters. 

The message was sent to the station via email at 11:45am local time, and used a different IP address to the previous ‘ransom’ message, but appeared to use the ‘same type of secure server to hide their real IP address’, KOLD said. 

Authorities urged the public to continue calling in information. A $50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the 84-year-old’s return or to the arrest of anyone involved in her disappearance. 

The latest message follows the arrest of California resident Derrick Callella on Thursday, after he was allegedly found to have texted Nancy’s daughter Annie and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni in a hoax ransom plot. 

Officials say Nancy, 84, is frail and has poor mobility, and suffers from a heart condition that requires her to take medication daily 

Officials previously said they have no reason to believe Nancy may have been targeted because of her daughter, but have also not ruled out any inquiries. Savannah Guthrie earns a reported $8 million salary at NBC, and has a net worth estimated at around $40 million

Callella allegedly admitted to sending the messages to capitalize on confusion surrounding Nancy’s abduction and potential ransom demands, and told investigators he was ‘just trying to see if the family would respond.’ 

The messages Callella sent to the Guthrie family are believed to be separate to those sent to TMZ and KOLD this week – one of which reportedly set a 5pm deadline on Thursday for millions in Bitcoin to be paid ‘or else.’ 

TMZ reported that a secondary, ‘more serious’ deadline was also set for Monday.  

With the search for Nancy now stretching past five days, investigators admitted at a Thursday press conference that they had no suspects or persons of interest in the case. 

Evidence from Nancy’s home included the apparent removal of her doorbell camera and blood spatters from her door to her driveway – which officials revealed at the press conference were confirmed to be Nancy’s blood. 

With an absence of forensic evidence pointing to a suspect, on Friday retired FBI investigator James Gagliano said the ransom notes may be a break in the case. 

The former FBI agent said ransom demands of Bitcoin funds is the ‘most compelling piece of evidence thus far.’ 

‘Kidnappings happen for one of two reasons: it’s either for profit or it’s for revenge,’ Gagliano, a crisis negotiation expert, told Fox & Friends Friday morning.

Pictured: An aerial view of Nancy Guthrie’s house, where she was abducted from

Investigators seen at Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson, Arizona on Friday 

He highlighted how for decades high-profile individuals have been the targets of kidnappings, including Frank Sinatra Jr and newspaper heiress Patty Hearst.

Guthrie’s abduction, however, is ‘baffling and beguiling’ because it ‘does not meet muster with any of the traditional type of kidnappings’, Gagliano explained.

‘We still don’t know if this was a targeted attack, if this was a targeted abduction,’ he continued, before addressing ‘very strange’ way the alleged captors contacted the Guthrie family.

Gagliano added that it is unusual for an abductor to provide a ransom note to the media instead of delivering it directly to the victim’s family.