NEWSMatt Lauer Axed From 'Today' Show's 70th Anniversary Following Sexual Assault Scandal
Jan. 11 2022, Published 1:02 p.m. ET
Matt Lauer will not be a part of the Today show's upcoming anniversary.
As reported by Radar, the long-running daytime TV show is preparing to celebrate 70 years on air with appearances from current and former hosts later this week, but Lauer will be nowhere in sight for the event.
Lauer's removal comes after the disgraced host was fired from NBC in 2017 following a sexual misconduct review. He was later hit with several more sexual assault accusations after the shocking news made headlines.
Consequently, Lauer, 64, will not be invited to celebrate with the rest of his former colleagues, despite efforts from Today show co-anchor Hoda Kotb to bring her pal back.
According to the outlet, "Hoda is still friends with Matt and doesn't think it is right to pretend that he had nothing to do with the show's huge success," considering Lauer had starred on the talk show since 1997. "You can hate the sin but love the sinner," the source insisted.
"However, Savannah [Guthrie] is having none of it," the insider spilled of the anchor who joined NBC News in September 2007. "She wants his legacy completely scrubbed, and so it has been." (Guthrie, 50, will only appear virtually for the anniversary event following a recent COVID-19 diagnosis.)
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"What Matt did was unforgivable. There is no way he will ever set foot into studio 1A ever again," another source candidly added. "In fact, his face will never appear on NBC ever again. When Betty White and Bob Saget passed, NBC pulled all the old footage they had of them, except footage of Betty or Bob with Matt."
"Hoda is a trying good friend but this is not a battle she is going to win," the insider concluded of her efforts.
And while it's clear the controversy surrounding the embattled talk show host isn't going away, OK! learned Lauer is apparently gearing up to drop a new bombshell tell-all in the coming year.
According to a source, "Matt has kept his head down because he knew the timing wasn't right," but, "now he feels the dust has settled, and there will be more sympathy for him at long last."
The insider also spilled that Lauer, "will spare no truth about the people he feels have betrayed him," as he will "pick his targets carefully."
"He figures he has no chance of making a TV comeback and has nothing to lose by getting his revenge," the source spilled.
