Savannah Guthrie to return to Today show as search for mother continues

US TV presenter Savannah Guthrie will return to the Today show on 6 April, two months after her mother's disappearance.

In her first interview since Nancy Guthrie went missing, she said she "can't not come back" to the show "because it's my family".

"I don't know if I can do it. I don't know if I'll belong anymore, but I would like to try," she told NBC's Today programme.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home near Tucson, Arizona on 1 February. Investigators believe she was taken against her will, but have not arrested a suspect.

Savannah Guthrie temporarily stepped away from her presenting duties after her mother's disappearance. She also stood down from NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics.

She told Today that returning to the morning news programme was "part of my purpose right now" and said she was "not gonna be the same".

She said that she wanted to smile again and that "when I do, it will be real - my joy will be my protest".

Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie's co-host, said the programme "cannot wait to welcome her back with open arms".

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills neighbourhood of Tucson on the evening of 31 January, when family members dropped her off around 21:30 local time (04:30 GMT).

Concern over her whereabouts grew after members of her church noticed she had not attended its Sunday service.

Since then, a nationwide search for Nancy Guthrie has unveiled several leads, including discarded gloves, DNA evidence and alleged ransom notes, but has not lead to any major breakthroughs.

The Guthrie family has made repeated public pleas for her safe return. They offered a $1m (£760,000) reward for information that leads to her return, in addition to a $100,000 reward offered by the FBI.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is leading the investigation, said authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was "targeted". He said investigators knew the motive, but declined to publicly disclose what it was as the investigation was ongoing.

Savannah Guthrie told Today of how she feared her fame may have made her mother a target.

"To think that I brought this to her bedside, that it's because of me," she said. "I'd just say: 'I'm so sorry, Mommy. I'm so sorry.'"

She said that before the kidnapping, her mother was in "tremendous pain" and had trouble walking.

"She can't wander off," she added.