A Complete Timeline of Savannah Guthrie’s Shocking ‘Today’ Drama and Scary Online Book Scam

February 15, 2024

Savannah interviewed Kelly Rowland on Today. The Destiny’s Child alum was there to promote her film Mea Culpa.

“What do you think about your friend Beyoncé,” Savannah asked Kelly about her former bandmate. “She’s like your sister, you guys literally grew up together – she’s stepping into country.”

“I’m so proud of her,” Kelly said with a smile.

“I know, but were you surprised and what do you think about it?” the journalist asked once more.

“I’m so proud of her,” Kelly responded. “So happy for her.”

Savannah faced a ton of backlash online from viewers who felt her questions about Beyoncé were “disrespectful” toward Kelly.

Kelly, who was slated to appear as a guest cohost later on in the broadcast, ended up walking off the set of the show. Rita Ora filled in for her as a guest cohost at the last minute.

February 16, 2024

Savannah was absent from Today the day after the interview went viral. Page Six initially reported that Kelly’s abrupt departure from the show was due to dissatisfaction with the dressing rooms backstage.

“Kelly and her team were not happy. They did not like the dressing room, so they decided to pull her off the show, leaving [Hoda Kotb] without a guest host for the 10 a.m. hour,” a source told the outlet.

February 19, 2024

Savannah once again skipped Today. No explanation was provided for her absence.

February 20, 2024

Savannah released her faith-based book, Mostly What God Does. She promoted the project during her return to Today along with her supportive costars.

“I was scared, I am scared,” the bestselling author said about writing the book. “But I also felt like I just had something good to say about God, and I wanted to say it.”

During the show, Hoda also remarked that Kelly is “welcome any time” to Today.

That same day, Kelly’s rep spoke out in a statement following the fallout from her Today interview.

“After 28 years of knowing her, Kelly Rowland remains one of the kindest, most amiable humans I have ever met and have had the blessing to represent,” Yvette Noel-Schure told Entertainment Tonight.

February 21, 2024

Other outlets reported that Kelly walked off the show due to the nature of her interview with Savannah.

“The story was spun that Kelly didn’t like her dressing room, but she has been on the Today show numerous times, she and her team know the dressing room set up. That would not come as a surprise at all,” a source told The Wrap. “Kelly was upset about Savannah’s aggressive questioning about Beyoncé. She and her team were not happy and felt disrespected.”

That night, several of Savannah’s costars, including Hoda, Jenna Bush Hager, Willie Geist and Sheinelle Jones, supported her at a book party. She made a rare comment regarding her drama with Kelly.

“She was lovely. I had no idea, no inkling that anything was amiss,” the TV host told Page Six at the book party. “She was as sweet, and kind and professional as she ever was. I don’t know what happened behind the scenes.”

Savannah also addressed the discourse about the outdated dressing rooms backstage.

“What can I say? Yes, our dressing rooms need a little TLC,” she told People. “But I have to say, we have a historic studio that has been around for 70-plus years. It’s a small space and it’s not that easy to renovate. So, you know, I totally get it.”

February 24, 2024

Savannah warned fans that scammers were selling fake copies of a workbook with her name on it online.

“I couldn’t believe it. My mom sent it to me, and it says it’s a ‘workbook,’ and it’s even yellow like the color of the [real] book. But I didn’t write any workbooks, so don’t buy them!” she told Page Six.

March 1, 2024

Savannah skipped Today, leaving Hoda and Craig Melvin to anchor the early morning hour.

March 4, 2024

She returned to Today after making several stops on her book tour across the U.S.