Savannah Guthrie is returning to the "Today" show.
The co-anchor of the popular morning show had stepped down from her duties following the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, on Jan. 31.
Guthrie, who has been anchoring the show since 2012, said her decision to come back nearly eight weeks after her mom's apparent abduction was because she "really wanted to come and see everybody," and that the show and her audience are her "greater family."
"I just love this beautiful place that we call home, where we get to come and be every day," Guthrie said in the third segment of her interview with Hoda Kotb, which aired Friday, March 27. "And I know how much people have prayed for me and loved me. All the people you've seen on TV and then all the people that you don't."
Guthrie said it's "hard to imagine" coming back, but she has longed to be with her "Today" colleagues. "I consider this my family, my greater family. And when times are hard, you want to be with your family."
"It's hard to imagine doing it, because it's such a place of joy and lightness," she said. "I can't come back and try to be something that I'm not. But I can't not come back, because it's my family. I think it's part of my purpose right now. I want to smile. And when I do, it will be real. My joy will be my protest. My joy will be my answer. And being there is joyful."
She added, "I don't know if I can do it. I don't know if I'll belong anymore. But I'd like to try."
Here's what to know about Guthrie's return to "Today" and how to watch.
When is Savannah Guthrie returning to the 'Today' show?
Savannah Guthrie is expected to return to "Today" on Monday, April 6.
What time is the 'Today' show?
The "Today" show airs live from Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET.
How to watch Savannah Guthrie on the 'Today' show
Audiences can catch "Today" on NBC, through TODAY.com, the TODAY app and social media platforms.
The 'Today' show anchors
- Craig Melvin
- Al Roker
- Carson Daly
- Jenna Bush Hager
- Dylan Dreyer
- Sheinelle Jones
- Willie Geist
What happened to Nancy Guthrie?
Guthrie's mom, Nancy, has not been seen since Saturday, Jan. 31, with her family telling police that she went missing the following morning. She regularly gathered with friends and neighbors to watch church services online, but on Sunday, Feb. 1, when she did not show up to a friend's home, they called her daughter Annie, who lives nearby, a source close to the family told NBC News.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department has said they believe she was taken from her home against her will.
Law enforcement officials emphasized that the search for the 84-year-old remained an active investigation, although public announcements about new developments have dried up as of late.
Guthrie has continued to urge fans and the public to contact authorities with any relevant information. On Sunday, March 22, the star shared the latest statement from her family which was previously provided to Arizona station KVOA-News 4 Tucson. They asked for "renewed attention" to the case and urged public consultation of "camera footage, journal notes, text messages, observations or conversations that in retrospect may hold significance."
Law enforcement asks anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov , Pima County Sheriff's Department (520-351-4900) or 88-CRIME .
Contributing: Edward Segarra , Taijuan Moorman , Brendan Morrow / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY . Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7 .