“Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie has a new gig.
Guthrie will host Wordle, popular word game that is being made into a game show.
It is expected to air in primetime and will challenge contestants to solve five-letter word puzzles in a “supersized battle of smarts, speed and fun,” NBC announced Monday.
“It builds on the way the puzzle community engages with Wordle every day — solving together, sharing wins, debating strategies and cheering one another on,” the broadcaster said in announcing the show, which will be produced in partnership with Jimmy Fallon’s Electric Hot Dog production company and the New York Times.
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The Times acquired Wordle in 2022. Since then, it has become a cultural phenomenon, luring millions of daily players worldwide.
The company had been considering using the Wordle brand to make a TV or video program for some time, Times leadership said.
“Teaming up with Jimmy Fallon to develop the game for NBC was a perfect fit,” said Caitlin Roper, executive editorial director of film and TV at the Times. “We wanted to honor the specific thrill of Wordle, the way people play and share their scores with each other, but also make something new for TV. Like Jimmy, Savannah is a passionate Wordle player — she even solved on TV in Times Square. No one gets what our contestants will go through like she does.”
In an interview with the Times, Guthrie said Wordle was among the ways she connected with her mother, Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared earlier this year.
“It’s strange to get up and do the ‘Today’ show every day, and it’s strange to say that I’m going to do a game show when your heart is broken. Nothing about that has changed, and it’s not easy,” she said. “But I’m determined to put one foot in front of the other. And this is a joyous thing.”
