According to a source, Savannah Guthrie is not one of Matt Lauer’s NBC pals!
The disgraced former television host was famously fired from the network in 2017 after being accused of sexual misconduct by a female colleague. The network later stated that they were given “reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”
According to sources, while Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb “never cut him out of her life” following the workplace scandal, as she still considered him a “huge part of her Today show journey,” Guthrie is adamantly opposed to Lauer returning to the show.
“Savannah has made it clear that bringing Matt back in any capacity is out of the question,” a second source said. “She is still furious about everything that went down and does not want any of that drama tainting Hoda’s send-off — or the Today brand.”
Another source close to network executives told an outlet that NBC executives are likely to agree with Guthrie.
“It is a hard no,” the source said. “The wounds from Matt’s departure are still fresh.” And bringing him back for even a moment would be a public relations disaster!”
NBC launched an investigation into Lauer in November 2017 after receiving complaints about alleged “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace,” and he was fired shortly thereafter. It was later revealed that he had been accused of raping a woman he worked with during the 2014 Sochi Olympics in Russia.
“Our top priority is to create a workplace environment in which everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that violate our core values are met with consequences, regardless of who the offender is,” NBC News chairman Andrew Lack said in a statement at the time. “We are deeply saddened by the turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization, and we will do so in the most transparent manner possible.”
Lauer has kept a low profile since the scandal, but sources say he has been considering a comeback in recent years. One insider even suggested that part of that could include writing a tell-all memoir in which former coworkers are blamed.
“Now, he feels the dust has settled and there will be more sympathy for him at long last,” the insider revealed in 2022. “He is already planning out the book. Matt will choose his targets carefully, but he believes he has no chance of making a television comeback and has nothing to lose by exacting his revenge.
The sources spoke with the National Enquirer about Guthrie’s feelings toward Lauer.
