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Matt Lauer attends NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on September 29, 2017 in New York City© Getty

Inside Matt Lauer's life now after Today Show exit, scandal

The disgraced former TV journalist left NBC in 2017 amid scandal

Hannah Hargrave
US Deputy Editor
October 28, 2023
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Matt Lauer shocked the world when, amid a massive #MeToo reckoning across the TV and film industry, he was abruptly dismissed from his daytime TV role as an anchor on the Today Show in November 2017, but what happened to the former Today Show coanchor after his ouster?

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 What was Matt Lauer accused of?

Matt was a much-loved host with decades of on-air experience until his reputation was destroyed by what NBC News chairman Andy Lack called "inappropriate sexual behavior". A total of three women with troubling accusations of sexual misconduct came forward according to Variety.

Since his dismissal, in October 2019, Variety published an excerpt from Ronan Farrow's book, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators, in which former NBC News employee Brooke Nevils alleged that Lauer sexually assaulted her in his hotel room at the Sochi Olympics. Lauer denied any wrongdoing in a statement to Variety, saying he had an "extramarital, but consensual, sexual encounter" with Brooke.

Is Matt Lauer friends with Savannah Guthrie and his former Today Show colleagues?

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At the time of the allegations, Matt's co-stars, including Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb were left stunned, as were his fans and many wonder if any of his former co-stars have maintained their friendship with the former anchor.

Today cast pose with Matt Lauer before he left the show© Photo: Getty Images

Many of Matt's former co-stars have cut ties with the star 

According to US Weekly, Savannah Guthrie has completely ended her friendship with Matt. 

Who has Bryant Gumbel said about Matt Lauer?

Does Katie Couric still talk to Matt Lauer?

His longtime co-host Katie Couric has also cut all ties with him, and in an interview with Savannah she admitted: "I think what I realized is that there was a side of Matt I never really knew."

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She continued: "As I got more information and learned what was going on behind the scenes, it was really upsetting and disturbing. It was really devastating." 

Matt Lauer, Katie Couric, Bryant Gumbel in Phoenix, AZ in May 1996© Getty
Matt Lauer, Katie Couric, Bryant Gumbel in Phoenix, AZ in May 1996

Earlier this year, speaking on Kelly Ripa's  Sirius XM podcast Let's Talk Off Camera, she recalled the moment she first learned of Lauer's actions, and told Ripa: "I remember using the word 'disgusted' to talk about Matt's behavior, and I think my overwhelming emotion is just being so disappointed and so sad." 

Are Al Roker and Matt Lauer still friends?

Matt's relationship with his former pal and co-star, Al, is reportedly friendly. In 2019, when quizzed about Matt, Al said: "I'm sure he's doing well. I don't really talk about that much but we wish him well."

Al Roker and Matt Lauer smile in photo from red carpet event © Photo: Getty Images

Several outlets have reported that Matt reached out to Al following the weatherman's cancer diagnosis in 2020 and their 30-year friendship had been reignited quietly.

Who has Bryant Gumbel said about Matt Lauer?

But one former Today Show colleague, Bryant Gumbel, has not cut ties, and said this past June that they talk "almost" every day.  "He's doing great," he told Page Six adding that he's "doing fine" and described him as "a good man." Matt took over Bryant's role when he left the show in 1997 after 15 years as anchor, and the two remained close friends. Both served as best men at one another's weddings.

Bryant Gumbel and Matt Lauer attend day 15 of the 2014 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2014 in New York City© Getty
Bryant Gumbel and Matt Lauer remain friends to this day.

Who is Matt Lauer dating now?

Since being forced to step back from the limelight, Matt's ex-wife, Annette Roque, filed for divorce. He has been dating his now girlfriend Shamin Abas since 2019, the same year the former couple's divorce was finalised.

Whilst the now-couple opts to keep their relationship out of the public eye, they have occasionally been spotted out together. One of the first times they were seen publicly was in New Zealand in 2020.

shamin abas© Photo: Getty Images

Shamin and Matt have known each other for over 20 years

Shamin is a publicist and businesswoman who works in marketing and events around New York. The pair knew each other for 20 years before their relationship flourished after meeting through work.

Where does Matt Lauer live now?

Matt finally sold his $44million Hamptons estate in May 2022 and reports suggested he had fled the US for his farm in New Zealand. The expansive property boasts eight miles of lakefront land, a five-bedroom house, as well as several farm buildings and fishing huts.

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