Mary Carillo has been tapped to replace TODAY show host Savannah Guthrie at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Guthrie is missing the assignment as her mother, Nancy, has been kidnapped.
The search is on for the 84-year-old who was taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Carillo's appointment was announced by NBC Sports PR.
“Mary Carillo, in her 17th Olympic assignment, will join Terry Gannon as hosts of the Opening Ceremony. Ahmed Fareed will host Olympic Late Night from Feb. 7-9,” they wrote on X.
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Molly Solomon, Executive Producer and President, NBC Olympics Production issued a statement about Guthrie, as she remains with her family during this difficult time. “Our hearts go out to Savannah and the entire Guthrie family. They continue to have our full support. We are fortunate to have a deep bench of talented commentators who will step in and fill these roles. Mary is one of the most experienced Olympic commentators ever and a master storyteller. She and Terry will lead the American audience through one of the world’s greatest global moments. With his skill and versatility, Ahmed has proven time and again he can step into any hosting role, and we’re thrilled he’s available to handle our late night coverage before heading to Los Angeles for NBA All-Star Weekend,” she said, as per the press release.
Mary Carillo: 5 things to know
- Carillo is of Italian descent and has a personal connection to Milan, the host city, where she lived for two years as a child.
- This marks Carillo's 14th Olympic assignment with NBCUniversal and 17th overall.
- She has hosted three Closing Ceremonies (Salt Lake City 2002, Beijing 2008, and Rio 2016), and had prominent roles in opening ceremonies - Athens 2004, Torino 2006, and Vancouver 2010.
- Carillo was a former professional tennis player before her broadcasting career. However, as a broadcaster, she's won two Peabody Awards and a Sports Emmy.
- Carillo was a longtime correspondent for HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel until it ended in 2023.