Kathie Lee Gifford returns to 'Today,' talks dating, lauds Nashville's 'culture of kindness'

On Monday came the reunion of "Today With Hoda and Jenna" hosts, following their respective family leaves. On Tuesday, there was another special homecoming: the return of Kathie Lee Gifford.

Tuesday, Gifford joined her former partner in wine and Jenna Bush Hager, who'd been on leave following the August arrival of her third, Hal.

At the top of the hour, the current hosts teased it would be "a big, big day" for viewers with Gifford's return.

Then, the former "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" host was seen trying to get through NBC security with a bottle of wine in her purse, a bit that tickled Kotb.

"It's Kathie!" Gifford exclaimed to the member of security. "Some way to treat a guest. I'm going through!"

And she did make it to the stage, with wine glass in hand. "Hello, my darling," she said, greeting Kotb.

Jenna Bush Hager returns to 'Today': after welcoming son: 'I cried on his little head'

Kathie Lee Gifford says 'Today' exit isn't sad: 'I certainly won’t bawl like a baby'

The veteran TV host walked away from the fourth hour of "Today" in April, telling USA TODAY shortly before her departure that she wanted to turn her attention to other things, like movies.

"It’s not that I wanted to leave the 'Today' show," Gifford, 66, said at the time. "I just had to leave if I wanted to actually fulfill lifetime dreams I have that I’m running out of time for."

She'd hosted the morning program with Hoda Kotb for 11 years.

Gifford said Tuesday she's happier than she's been "in years and years and years and years," praising the "completely different culture" in Nashville, her new home.

“It’s a culture of kindness," she said. “They’re joyful. They have so much fun – it’s music everywhere. There’s barbecues, everything’s Americana, like when I was growing up."

"And I wake up and there are church bells ringing all around me, and birds," she added, "and when a siren comes by rarely, it’s not because someone was murdered, it was because somebody needs help.”

Kathie Lee Gifford gets emotional, shares Bible verse during 'Today' farewell

Hoda Kotb returns to 'Today' show, praises maternity leave: 'You come back more whole'

Gifford also revealed that Music City has been the backdrop to "a couple dates."

She was approached while listening to a favorite band, Tim Akers & the Smoking Section. "This sweet guy asked me to dance and so I said, 'OK.' And then he just disappeared into the crowd, and I said, 'OK,' " she recalled. They took another twirl around the dance floor at a subsequent performance.

"We just went out a couple times. It was fun because – I hadn’t been on a date in 33 years," she said. "It’s surreal, you know, it's surreal 'cause the world’s changed so much. But he’s a gentleman so it was fine. It was fun, but then I got so busy and we’re just from different worlds."

Moving to Nashville has also helped get Gifford in shape.

"Everybody made such a big deal about how skinny I was and all of that for so long, right? But, I was doing a movie about a widow who was a runner," she said, adding a man in Nashville introduced her to an exercise program called Manduu.

To show off her transformation, Gifford removed her scarf and jacket, showcasing her toned biceps.

"Kathie, those muscles!" Bush Hager remarked.

"Those are not implants!" Gifford cracked, flexing.

Returning to the "Today" stage delighted Gifford.

"You know, it was lovely, because first of all, the traffic wasn’t too bad getting in. That was the other reason (I left), I couldn’t take the commute anymore, and then I started to see old friends who are now saying, 'Say goodbye, Kathie,' " she joked.

In addition to songwriting and returning to Israel next February to make more films, Gifford will appear in "A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love," which she also executive produced, airing on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Sunday (9 EST/PST).

Hallmark Christmas movies: Here's how to watch all 40 new titles

Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas turns 10: A look back, by the numbers

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Today' show: Kathie Lee Gifford shows off toned arms, talks dating