Gayle King chokes up on air as she addresses Savannah Guthrie’s emotional appeal video for missing mom Nancy

Gayle King choked up as she reported on Today show host Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother Nancy.

CBS Morning kicked off Thursday’s episode with Guthrie’s emotional video plea in which she and her two siblings begged for their 84-year-old mother to come home.

Seemingly rattled by the events, King’s voice was audibly shaken as she said: ‘We’re starting things a little differently this morning because like you, we’re all waking up this morning with very heavy hearts [and] praying for our friend and our colleague, Savannah Guthrie.’

The 71-year-old anchor continued: ‘Her mom Nancy is still missing at this hour and late last night, the Guthrie family went public with a very emotional message.’

King was emotional in later reports throughout the morning broadcast.

‘Your heart can’t help but break for her,’ she said as she discussed the headlines with co-hosts Vladimir Duthiers and Adriana Diaz.

‘Savannah just got to me where she says “mommy,” she continued. ‘To hear a grown woman say, “Mommy, we’re all looking for you.” Everybody’s looking for her.’

King also pointed out Guthrie’s incredibly close relationship with her mother, who was abducted from her $1 million home in Tucson Arizona late on January 31 or early into February 1, according to police.

‘We all know how close she was to her mother,’ she said. ‘You keep seeing those pictures over and over and over again.

‘We’re trying to make sense of something that makes no sense. And that’s why we keep struggling and gasping for something.

‘Help us understand how this is happening, why this is happening and what we can do about it? It’s so, so, so scary to me.’

Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron released a video statement on Instagram on Wednesday night in which they and sent a message to their mom and her abductor.

In the clip, Guthrie described her mother in glowing terms and graciously thanked everyone across the country who offered prayers and support.

She also directly addressed her mother’s possible captors, in the first public admission that she may be held for ransom.

‘We too have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,’ she said. ‘As a family, we are doing everything that we can.’

Directly addressing her mother, Guthrie said: ‘Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God’s precious daughter, Nancy.

‘We believe and know that even in this valley, he is with you. 

‘Everyone is looking for you, mommy, everywhere. We will not rest, your children will not rest until we are together again.’

At the time of writing, no suspect has been identified, and police insist there is no danger to the wider public.

Investigators have not ruled out that Nancy may have been targeted because she is the mother of the famous Today show host.