NBC Today’s Ratings Skyrocket, Surpassing Good Morning America in Morning Show Battle

The NBC morning program ‘Today’ has seen a remarkable increase in ratings following the kidnapping of Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie.

For the week ending February 6, the show experienced a dramatic 23% rise in viewership compared to the same time last year, adding approximately 624,000 viewers, according to Nielsen’s latest figures.

With an average audience of nearly 3.32 million viewers, ‘Today’ outperformed its rivals, surpassing ABC’s ‘Good Morning America,’ which attracted 2.91 million viewers, and CBS’s ‘CBS Mornings,’ which drew in 1.84 million.

The show managed to edge out ‘Good Morning America’ by about 30,000 viewers in total.

This boost represents a 5% increase from the previous week, with Hoda Kotb stepping in for Guthrie alongside co-host Craig Melvin.

Both chose to stay behind and man the desk instead of going Italy to cover the Winter Olympics as they had been slated to.

Last-place CBS Mornings, meanwhile, is down three percent in total viewers and down 13 percent in the key demo compared to last week. The show – which just lost anchor Tony Dokoupil – is down from last year with a 14 percent drop in total viewers.

‘Today’ also leads both its main competitors in overall viewers and the coveted 25-54 audience.

‘Today’ ratings have spiked a full 23 percent – or by 624,000 viewers – over the year-earlier period, according to new data from Nielsen, as regulars Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin (seen on the Today set Thursday) have stepped in amid Nancy Guthrie’s abduction

Nancy, the 84-year-old mother of longtime host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since January 31. She was taken from her Tuscon home in the early morning

Meanwhile, it anchors silently grapple with the unimaginable crisis. 

Nancy, 84, has been missing since January 31, taken from her Tuscon home in the early morning. 

Savannah, a main anchor at today since 2012, is with her family in Airzona as the search for a suspect continues.

The case has of course affected the Today dynamic – the stomach-turning crime being a story in itself. 

The other hosts staying stateside to support Savannah, while following the case and developments, is admittedly an unprecedented situation.

Melvin acknowledged the evolving dynamic at the top of Monday’s show, joined by Kotb and regulars Carson Daly and Al Roker.

‘We know things are far from normal right now, so folks, we are asking for your grace as we continue to do this,’ Melvin said.

The team previously persevered through the death of co-host Sheinelle Jones’s husband and Al Roker’s recent health scare.

Pictured, current Today cast Carson Daly, Kotb, Melvin, and Al Roker at the desk on Monday, navigating a difficult situation in front of millions of eyes

The show was also up 14 percent in total viewers compared to the same week in 2025.

Anchors continue to offer updates in the close-to-home case. 

Today is usually co-hosted by Guthrie and Melvin, who was promoted to the position to replace Kotb early last year.

She has now stepped in for Guthrie, who remains on hiatus. The long-serving host brings with her a familiar feel that appears to have resonated with viewers.

The host gave a heartbreaking speech about the situation during her first day last week, her voice shaking with emotion. 

‘Everybody’s hoping and praying for Nancy’s safe return,’ she said, before citing support seen from fans.

‘The nation is rallying around our dear friend Savannah and her family, believing that her beloved mom will be back in their loving arms soon,’ she said.

The host went on to recall several times Savannah had their backs. 

‘The nation is rallying around our dear friend Savannah and her family, believing that her beloved mom will be back in their loving arms soon,’ Hoda said last week, as the search for Nancy continues

Nancy’s $1 million home is seen on Wednesday as police and the FBI continue to investigate her mysterious disappearance 

‘We’re all so close with [Savannah] and we all want to help her. I’m looking at us and thinking like, who was first in the hospital room when [my daughter] Hope was sick? Savannah. 

‘Who hopped on a plane when [Daly’s] parents [died]? Savannah. Who was sitting by [Jones’ late husband] Uche Ojeh? How about when [Melvin’s] brother passed? 

‘I mean, she was there. I was thinking this morning, you know, they say love is patient, love is kind. Like, we’ll be patient and put prayers up. And that’s all we can do.’

Such segments have offered rare glimpses as the stars’ humanity.

The search for Nancy entered day 12 on Thursday. Officials said they have not identified any suspects since the senior was last seen at her home the night of January 31, the night before she was believed to be taken.

On Tuesday, the FBI released footage of a masked man wearing gloves who tried to obscure the camera on Nancy’s front porch minutes before she was taken. 

The important piece of media, thought to be lost but recovered through the bureau’s cooperation with third-party businesses, was the latest development in the case in over a week.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department detained a man for questioning in connection with Nancy’s disappearance several miles south of Tuscon, near the border. The main was released after several hours of being interviewed. He was not deemed a suspect.