‘Today’ Star Makes Rare Comments About Divorce

TODAY Show anchor Savannah Guthrie has spent years smiling on national television—but behind the scenes, she was nursing a private heartbreak she now calls “horrible” and “devastating.”

In a raw and revealing interview with Monica Lewinsky on the Reclaiming podcast, the beloved NBC journalist opened up for the first time about her divorce from former BBC correspondent Mark Orchard—calling it the darkest chapter of her life.

“It was horrible and sad and it broke my heart,” Guthrie, 53, said plainly. “It took me years to recover.”

Guthrie and Orchard met while covering the 2005 Michael Jackson trial and married that same year. But by 2009, their relationship had fallen apart. Guthrie has rarely spoken about the breakup—until now.

“I’m not blaming anyone,” she added, “but I don’t really want to get into it.”

Why She Left It Out of Her Book

Fans who picked up Guthrie’s 2024 memoir Mostly What God Does may have noticed the glaring omission of any mention of her first marriage. That, too, was intentional.

“It’s the one thing I didn’t want to talk about,” she admitted. “Some of it was just too personal and too embarrassing.”

Guthrie said she wanted to acknowledge she’d faced adversity—but on her terms. “There were depths to that experience I just wasn’t ready to share.”

Her publisher, she said, respected her decision. “They let me keep that part to myself,” Guthrie revealed.

A Second Chance at Love

The Emmy-winning journalist didn’t swear off love altogether. Just a few years after her divorce, she met political adviser Michael Feldman. But Guthrie said she wasn’t looking for a relationship—and wasn’t emotionally ready.

“I met him very soon after getting separated and divorced so I was like, ‘Here’s what’s never going to happen,’” she joked.

Their romance moved slowly. “We dated for five and a half years,” she said. “We both had commitment issues for our own reasons.”

Faith played a big role in their journey. Guthrie, a devout Christian, said navigating religious differences was part of what took time.

“All I know is that I’m trying to have integrity in my faith with my children and in my family,” she said. “And Mike is there with me, allowing me to do that.”

The couple wed in 2014. Guthrie was 42 when she gave birth to their daughter Vale, and welcomed son Charley two years later.

Haunted by the Past

Back in February, Guthrie briefly alluded to her first marriage during an interview with Us Weekly—hinting at just how hard the experience hit her.

“When I was 36, I got divorced. I wasn’t married long,” she told the outlet. “That was a huge disappointment. I was pretty sure I had lost my opportunity and more or less ruined my life.”

It was a crushing blow for someone whose dreams were rooted in family life.

“All I ever really wanted was to fall in love, be a mom and have a family,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s acceptable to admit these days, but that’s kind of how I was.”

From Devastation to Grace

Now, with two children, a happy marriage, and a high-profile media career, Guthrie said she still carries the scars—but also the lessons.

“Some of the worst moments in life can break you or shape you,” a source close to Guthrie told us. “Savannah chose to grow.”

While she may never fully unpack the “gory details,” her recent candor has given fans a rare glimpse behind the curtain—and reminded them that even morning TV icons have stories they keep hidden for years.

“She’s survived the storm,” the source added, “and somehow came out even stronger.”