What To Know
- Matt Lauer is reportedly seeking a return to television or the media industry, eight years after his 2017 firing from Today following sexual assault allegations.
- Lauer has discussed potential opportunities with others but has not confirmed any specific plans or programs for his comeback.
- Since his dismissal, Lauer has focused on his private life, including his children and current relationship, while expressing ongoing frustration about his treatment by the industry and former colleagues.
Matt Lauer is reportedly looking to return to TV after his 2017 Today firing following sexual assault allegations.
On November 27, People published a report from an inside source of Lauer’s hopeful plans. The unnamed insider told the publication that the journalist, 67, is “doing well in his private life” and “wants to get back into the media arena in some capacity, if not TV.”
The source added, “He has talked to some people about it.”
It’s unclear what TV program or “media arena” Lauer might be eyeing. However, his return would be the first in eight years since being fired from Today in November 2017. A former NBC employee, later identified as Brooke Nevils, alleged that Lauer raped her at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Although Lauer claimed the encounter was consensual, multiple other women also made allegations of sexual misconduct.
Following his axing, Lauer’s then-wife, Annette Roque, filed for divorce. The exes share three kids: Jack, 24, Romy, 22, and Thijs, 18. Today, Lauer is dating Shamin Abas, and he is reportedly happy despite being “still angry” about “the way he was treated by the industry” and “people he thought were his friends,” the People source said. He is now reportedly focused on being a “good father” and “spending time” with his kids.
In a 2017 statement read on-air by his former colleagues one day after his Today firing, Lauer shared, “There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry. As I am writing this, I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC.”
He continued, “Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly. Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching, and I’m committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full time job. The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It’s been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace.”
Lauer joined Today in 1994 as a news anchor before being promoted to co-anchor in 1997.
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network‘s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.