NBC Orders Wordle TV Show Hosted by Savannah Guthrie

NBC Greenlights ‘Wordle’ TV Game Show Hosted by Savannah Guthrie

NBCUniversal is bringing one of the internet’s most addictive daily rituals to the small screen. The network has officially ordered a television adaptation of the popular New York Times puzzle, Wordle, with Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie set to host the series.

The announcement, made Monday on NBC’s Today, confirms a partnership between Universal Television Alternative Studio, Jimmy Fallon’s Electric Hot Dog company, and The New York Times. Production is scheduled to begin later this year, with the series slated to debut on NBC in 2027.

Production Details and Global Scale

The transition from a digital puzzle to a primetime spectacle has been a long-term project, having been in development for two and a half years. To establish the show’s visual and competitive format, Guthrie filmed the pilot episode last fall in Manchester, England. The network has confirmed that the series will continue to be produced in Manchester.

While Guthrie leads the on-air action, Jimmy Fallon will serve as a key creative force through his production company, Electric Hot Dog. The collaboration leverages the massive digital footprint of the original game to create a televised version of the word-elimination challenge.

A Personal Journey Toward Normalcy

The road to the series pick-up was marked by significant personal hardship for Savannah Guthrie. Although she learned the show had been greenlit in February and was prepared to shoot episodes in March, production was delayed to accommodate a two-month hiatus.

The delay followed the disappearance of Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, who law enforcement officials believe was taken against her will from her Catalina Foothills home on Jan. 31. The investigation into her abduction remains ongoing.

Guthrie expressed surprise and gratitude toward the production team for their support during the crisis. “They just stopped everything and said, ‘we will wait for you, of course,’” Guthrie said, noting that such empathy is rare in the “tough business” of Hollywood.

Since returning to her seat on Today on April 6, Guthrie has viewed her upcoming role on the game show as a vital step toward stability. She told colleagues she is “determined to put one foot in front of the other” as she balances her professional duties with the ongoing search for her mother.

The Phenomenon: From Brooklyn to the Big Screen

Created in 2021 by Brooklyn-based software engineer Josh Wardle, Wordle became an overnight global sensation. The game’s simplicity—guessing a five-letter word in six attempts using a process of elimination—fueled its viral growth. The New York Times acquired the game shortly after its rise, with the purchase price reported to be in the low-seven-figure range.

The game has since become a powerhouse for the New York Times’ digital strategy. Integrated into a subscription bundle of puzzles on the company’s website and app, Wordle is a primary driver of digital revenue. The scale of its popularity is immense; the New York Times reported that users solved the Wordle puzzle 4.4 billion times in 2025 alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Wordle game work?

Players are given six chances to guess a secret five-letter word. Through a process of eliminating letters, the game provides feedback via colored tiles: green indicates the letter is in the correct spot, while other colors indicate if a letter is part of the word but in the wrong position.

When will the Wordle show air?

The series is expected to premiere on NBC in 2027, with production beginning in late 2026.

Why was production delayed?

Production was paused for two months to support host Savannah Guthrie following the abduction of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, in January.

As NBC prepares for the 2027 launch, the Wordle series represents a significant bet on the intersection of digital gaming habits and traditional primetime entertainment.