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Savannah Guthrie leaves Today abruptly mid-show as co-hosts explain her absence

Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin host Today alongside Savannah

Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin sat at the Today desk
Hannah Hargrave
US Deputy Editor
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Savannah Guthrie proved family comes first on Thursday when she bolted from her hosting seat on Today midway through the show. 

The mom-of-two upped and left less than an hour into the NBC morning show, leaving her co-hosts, Craig Melvin and Hoda Kotb to explain to viewers what happened. 

After making the mad dash from Studio 1A, the co-anchors returned from a commercial break and Craig said: "Savannah had to leave early," before adding: "It's her kids' first day at school. Good luck Charley and Vale."

WATCH: Inside Savannah Guthrie's incredible family vacation home

Savannah looked excited to be leaving for her children, and as parents, Craig and Hoda understood. In fact, the day before it was Hoda's turn to take her kids, Haley, six, and Hope, four, to school.

She ducked out on her second day back in the studio following some time off to be with her family. But her co-hosts assured viewers that she would be back on Thursday to interview Simone Biles

Craig addressed the situation and said: "Hoda, of course, had to leave a little early because it's the first day of school. But rest assured, she'll be back in plenty of time for that tomorrow," Savannah concurred: "She would not miss it!"

Craig Melvin stepped in to sub Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday's Today Show© NBC
Savannah dashed off to take her children to their first day at school

Parenthood means the world to all of the Today hosts, and Savannah and Hoda often open up about being moms and how grateful they are for their families. 

Both women had their children a little later in life and Savannah often calls her youngest child, Charley, six, her "medical miracle" after she and her husband, Michael Feldman, went through several rounds of IVF to welcome him.

Savannah with her son Charley © Getty
Savannah with her son Charley

"Because we are older," she explained to Health magazine. "It was important to me for her [Vale] to have a sibling, somebody to do life with

"My husband and I, we decided, 'OK, let’s give it a shot,' you know? But it ended up taking more than one attempt. It took a few," she said. "But we were lucky. I always say, Charley was, like, the last egg out. He really was. And we're so blessed."

Savannah Guthrie in sunglasses smiling with her daughter Vale© Savannah Guthrie on Instagram
Savannah's daughter just turned nine

They're also proud parents to daughter Vale, who recently turned nine. 

Hoda, 59, adopted her daughters with her ex-fiance, Joel Schiffman, Although they are no longer a couple, they've successfully navigated raising their girls and they've maintained a friendship too. 

She'll never forget the moment she discovered she was a mom either. "I was sitting there, and I was doing some phone call with some nutritionist about something and babbling on and on. My phone beeped, and I looked at it, and it said Ashley, and Ashley was the lady from my adoption agency, and she [had] said, 'If I ever text you, you need to call me back immediately,'" Hoda said.

Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb in the Today studios© NBC
Savannah and Hoda are proud parents

She revealed: "I saw her name, I hung up the phone, I took a yellow pad out, and I wrote, '11:55. This is the moment everything changes.' I knew it," before adding: "And I took a deep breath and dialed the number, and I said, 'Ashley?' and she said two words to me. She said, 'She's here.'"

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