Savannah Guthrie to Host NBC's New 'Wordle' Game Show
If you solve Wordle every morning before you get out of bed, NBC has a show for you.
NBC has officially given a series order to a Wordle game show, produced by Jimmy Fallon and hosted by Today anchor Savannah Guthrie. The announcement came Monday morning when Fallon made a surprise appearance on Today to break the news live on air — alongside Guthrie, who has described the New York Times puzzle as her "daily gaming obsession."
The game show is set to premiere sometime in 2027. Filming is expected to begin this summer.
How It Came Together
The New York Times began developing a Wordle game show several years ago and chose to partner with Fallon to develop the idea for NBC. The project has been in development for two and a half years, making Monday's announcement the end of a long wait for everyone involved.
"We've been developing Wordle as a game show for the past two and a half years with the New York Times, and it's official — we are making the Wordle game show with our host, Savannah Guthrie!" Fallon said on Today.
"We've been holding this secret between us for a long time now," Guthrie added.
Fallon was direct about why Guthrie was the obvious choice. "We were looking, we're like, 'Who's the perfect host for this? We need someone that looks like they play Wordle, someone that knows how to run a show and host it.' And we did the pilot, and you are amazing," he said.
Guthrie has served as a Today anchor since 2012 and has previously solved Wordle live on air in Times Square.
What the Show Actually Looks Like
The format challenges players to solve five-letter word puzzles in a battle of smarts, speed, and fun. It builds on the way the puzzle community already engages with Wordle — solving together, sharing wins, debating strategies, and cheering each other on.
Teams of three players will compete for a cash prize. The production company is already recruiting contestants for the first season, encouraging applicants to submit a video about their love for the game.
Guthrie described it as fast-paced and family friendly. "It's like super-fast paced and fun. It's a great family game. I love a game and a show that you can watch with your kids and you feel like they're learning something too," she said.
The Personal Context Behind the Announcement
The announcement carried some emotional weight beyond the usual television news cycle. Guthrie noted the show was originally meant to film in March, but production was paused after her 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie went missing, triggering an FBI investigation. Guthrie stepped away from Today to be with her family before returning on April 6.
She thanked the production team for waiting. "When everything happened with me and my family, they just stopped everything and said, 'We'll wait for you,'" Guthrie said on Today. "And Hollywood is like a really tough business, as you know, and I didn't expect that. And I just want to say, thank you. It means so much to me."
Fallon responded simply: "We can't do it without you. We need you, bud."
The Wordle Phenomenon
The original Wordle game was created by software engineer Josh Wardle in 2021 before being acquired by the New York Times in 2022. In 2024 alone it was played 5.3 billion times, up from 4.8 billion plays in 2023. It is one of the few cultural phenomena of recent years that genuinely crosses generational lines — played by teenagers and retirees, shared in family group chats, and debated in offices every morning.
The NBC edition may be just the beginning — Monday's announcement confirmed the Wordle format will be licensed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, meaning local-language versions could follow in other countries.
The series is executive produced by Fallon through his Electric Hot Dog banner, alongside Jim Juvonen for Electric Hot Dog and Caitlin Roper and Knight for the New York Times. Wes Kauble will serve as showrunner. It is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio in partnership with Electric Hot Dog and the New York Times.
Fallon also produces the Password reboot hosted by Keke Palmer, making Wordle his second game show currently in production for NBC.
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