United Kingdom, April 8 -- The Today show cast and crew were told to "act totally normal" for Savannah Guthrie's return.

The 54-year-old presenter stepped away from the daytime programme in February after her mother Nancy, 86, disappeared from her Arizona home, but she ended her two-month hiatus on Monday (06.04.26), and the producers wanted to make the transition as easy as possible for her.

An insider told Page Six: "It was supposed to be business as usual, [producers] said to act totally normal.

"'Move forward' is the vibe. It's been a hard year and a draining time."

A source described her as "the heart of the show" and a "steady hand that guides everyone in the right direction".

They continued: "The staff and crew, we all needed ...