India, June 18 -- Savannah Guthrie's absence from the Today show on Wednesday, June 17, raised questions amid the search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie. However, it has now been confirmed that her absence from the show was not connected to her mother's case.

The broadcast journalist, 54, who returned to the NBC morning show in April, was "on assignment," according to co-anchor Craig Melvin. Savannah was thus replaced by Jenna Bush Hager during the June 17 episode, Us Weekly reported.

Melvin further said that his colleague was "starting production meetings on the Wordle game show coming to NBC later this year." Last month, Savannah announced that the show had been picked up in February.

Volunteers have been searching for Nancy in...