SAVANNAH Guthrie gave a thoughtful nod to her mom Nancy during her emotional return to the Today show.

The anchor has been absent from the NBC morning show since Nancy was abducted on February 1.

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Savannah looked radiant in yellow during her brave return to the Today show, over two months after her mother’s disappearanceCredit: Getty
 

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A body language expert broke down the subtle signals Savannah sent during her first day backCredit: Getty
Patti Wood, a body language expert and the author of Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma, spoke to The U.S. Sun about the subtle signals Savannah sent to honor her mom Nancy on her first day back.

While Savannah didn’t mention Nancy’s disappearance, she was able to acknowledge it without saying a word.

One powerful message was Savannah’s choice to wear a bright yellow lace dress while sitting at the anchor desk.

“Such a beautiful choice. Bright, yellow, the beginning of the sunrise on the Today show,” Patti said.

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She wants to be sunshine and innocence, ‘I want to choose a bright color that’s like my former personality, who I always was,’” she said of Savannah’s thinking.

Savannah’s dress, along with the yellow flowers that dotted the Today show, have a special meaning.

Yellow is the color of missing persons, and the color has appeared frequently during the morning show since Nancy’s abduction.

“She’s saying, I want to send support to missing people everywhere, and keep my mom close to me,” Patti explained.

In Savannah’s absence, the other Today anchors wore pinned yellow ribbons to show their support.

During Monday’s broadcast, Savannah was business-as-usual with small mentions of her absence from the show.

“Good morning, welcome to Today on this Monday morning,” Savannah said.

“We are so glad you started your week with us, and it’s good to be home.”

While Savannah didn’t explicitly touch on her mom’s disappearance, Patti said that her tone of voice shows how emotional the moment was for her.

“There’s a change in her voice, she’s using a slightly higher register, but with some roughness to it,” Patti said.

“That’s an indication of grief, that she’s crying often – that affects the vocal cords. Also going higher indicates she wants to be cheerful and hold her young, vibrant energy.”

Patti added that Savannah keeping her arms close to her chest was also a clue into the strength she showed.

“She’s protecting herself and her heart while holding it together,” she explained.

A person familiar with NBC’s plans previously told The U.S. Sun that Savannah was looking to return to the show without any fanfare.

“Production had planned to make a big deal about her comeback, including lots of yellow balloons and flowers, and even a religious choir to greet her on her first day,” the source said.

“But Savannah said no to all of it. She immediately shut it down.

“No big gestures, no production. She wants it to feel normal, and that includes how the show begins.”

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All of Savannah’s co-hosts offered her comfort during her first day backCredit: Getty

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Savannah hugged fans who gathered outside of the Today studio on Monday morningCredit: AP

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Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home on February 1 – and the search has stalled outCredit: Courtesy NBC Universal