Vhong Navarro is back on It’s Showtime.

The embattled actor-host — who hasn’t been seen on the show since September — finally returned to host the noontime program and reunite with his "It’s Showtime " family in an emotional episode on Monday, January 16.

Vhong couldn’t help but become emotional and was momentarily speechless as his co-hosts Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, Ogie Alcasid, Kim Chiu, Karylle, Amy Perez, Ryan Bang, Jugs Jugueta, and Ion Perez gave him a warm welcome onstage.

“Wow… Alam niyo, share ko lang din onti. ‘Pagpasok ko dito sa ABS-CBN, sinabi ko ayokong umiyak. Kasi ito ‘yung pangalawang bahay ko, eh. Dito kung ano man ang pinagdadaanan ko sa buhay, tanggap ka rito dahil ito ‘yung mga kapatid ko, ito ‘yung pamilya ko,” Vhong said, referring to his It’s Showtime  family.

“At kasama roon ang madlang pipol, extension kayo ng pamilya namin. Kaya lang pagdating ko dito sa backstage, wala eh. Talagang bumabagsak talaga [‘yung luha ko], eh,” he continued. “Ang sarap ng pagtanggap niyo sa akin. Hindi ko alam kung paano kayo pasasalamatan. Sa mga taong nagdasal, naniwala, at hindi ako iniwan.”

Vhong said he hasn’t watched It’s Showtime since he left the show last year due to his legal woes.

“Hindi ako nanonood ng ‘Showtime’ nung nasa loob ako kasi ayokong… nami-miss ko kasi kayo, eh. Nalulungkot ako lalo kaya iniiwasan kong manood. Kaya sabi ko, manonood na lang ako kapag nakalabas ako. Kaya lang paglabas ko, hindi ko pa kayang bumalik pala agad. Kasi may proseso pang kailangang gawin,” he said.

“Pero mabait ang Panginoon eh. Talagang hindi niya ako pinabayaan kaya andito ako ulit. Kaya maraming salamat sa ABS-CBN kasi meron pa rin akong trabaho at nandito pa rin ‘yung pamilya ko.”

For his part, Vice couldn’t hide his delight over being reunited with his co-host.

“Hindi naman natin maiaalis sa kanya na matakot siya. Kasi hindi niya alam syempre kung paano na paglabas niya, paano siya tatanggapin ng tao, ano bang nararamdaman sa kanya ng tao… Paulit ulit ko lang pinapaalala sa kanya, alam mo, kung makakabawas sa bigat or kung makakadagdag sa kumpyansa mo, gusto ko lang malaman mo na sa lahat ng mga nangyayaring ‘to, mas nararamdaman namin kung gaano ka nila kamahal,” said Vice.

“We don’t really read comments all the time, pero ‘yung tungkol sa ‘yo, ako lagi akong nagbabasa. … [And] more than 95% comments na nababasa ko, puro tungkol sa pagmamahal at suporta sa ‘yo,” he continued. “Kaya hindi rin magiging mahirap sa ‘yo kung papaano haharapin ang kasalukuyan at ang bukas dahil ‘yung mga tao, inaabangan ka lang nila para muli ka nilang yakapin, mahalin, at suportahan.”

READ: Vhong Navarro spends quality time with his son, Bianca Lapus says

It was over the weekend when Vice first hinted about Vhong’s possible return on It’s Showtime , recounting a conversation he had with a certain someone who he said went through a lot in the past year.

“May kausap nga ako kaninang madaling-araw, eh. Sabi ko nga sa kaniya, ‘Bitbitin mo yang excitement mo. Sa sobra na mabibigat ng pinagdaanan mo last year, ang pinakamaganda namang kasama niyan, eh, sinamahan ka, kinampihan ka at pinaniwalaan ka ng madlang pipol,’” said Vice.

“Kaya bitbitin mo yang excitement mo pagbalik mo sa Lunes,” he added.

Meanwhile, the other hosts each took their turn in sharing their touching messages for Vhong, with all of them saying they missed the actor and were happy to have him back.

READ: ‘It’s Showtime’ hosts, nagpaabot ng suporta para kay Vhong Navarro

Vhong — who turned 46 last January 4 — has been absent from It’s Showtime  since September, when he surrendered himself to authorities following the issuance of arrest warrants against him over the rape case filed by former model Deniece Cornejo

The actor was detained at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters for more than two months before being transferred to Taguig City Jail, where he was released on P1-million bail early in December.

Vhong — who has been part of It’s Showtime  since its inception in 2009 — has maintained his innocence over the charges.