The abduction of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC'sSavannah Guthrie, has unexpectedly turned into a ratings bonanza for the 'Today' show, drawing hundreds of thousands of new viewers and overtaking its rival, 'Good Morning America.'

Since Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home near Tucson,Arizona, on February 1, the 'Today' show has experienced a remarkable jump in viewers.

Over the first five days, ratings soared by 23 per cent compared to the same period last year, according toVariety per Neilsen reports.That's about 624,000 extra pairs of eyes glued to the screen each morning.

This increase has solidified'Today's' position as the most-watched morning programme, pulling in an average of nearly 3.3 million viewers. 'GMA' trails behind at around 2.9 million, while 'CBS Mornings' lags further at 1.8 million.

The show's market share reflects this shift. 'Today' now captures 41 per cent of the broadcast morning audience across the three networks, up from 36 per cent last year. 'GMA' holds 36 percent, and 'CBS Mornings' just 23 per cent.

Despite the surge, the key 25-to-54 demographic, highly valued by advertisers, has seen a slight decline of 4 per cent. Still, 'Today' leads with 648,000 viewers in this segment.

Guthrie's kidnapping coincides with NBC broadcasting the Winter Olympics from Milan, where she was meant to report. Her co-anchors, Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones, and Craig Melvin, have been filling her seat, mainly focusing on updates about the search for her mother.

Hoda Kotb, who left 'Today' in 2025, has also stepped back into the spotlight to help cover the story. The entire programme feels like a community rallying around a common cause.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of Saturday, January 31, when her son-in-law dropped her off after dinner, according to sheriff's department reports.

The FBI has released disturbing imagesshowing an armed, masked individual tampering with a security camera at her home in the early hours of February 1. Bloodstains and signs of forced entry have been found at the scene.

Source: International Business Times UK