Matt Lauer Reconnects With 'Today' Hosts at Ex-Producer's Wedding 6 Years Post-Scandal

Six years after his dismissal from Today due to misconduct, Matt Lauer reunited with former colleagues at the wedding of ex-show producer Jennifer Long in New York City. On Saturday, December 9, the 65-year-old was seen in a black suit, walking hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, Shamin Abas, who wore a dark gown, as they arrived at the venue.

Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, and Al Roker attended Long’s wedding to Reid Sterrett along with former GMA3 journalists Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, who were released from ABC in 2022 due to their workplace romance. Lauer joined Today in 1994 and was dismissed in November 2017 after facing allegations of sexual misconduct from a female staffer who claimed he acted inappropriately during their coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Kotb, 59, and Guthrie, 51, announced his firing on air and have since taken over as co-hosts on the show. (Kotb also hosts an additional hour of the morning show with Jenna Bush Hager.)

In his 2019 book Catch and Kill, journalist Ronan Farrow alleged that Lauer had assaulted a coworker two years later.

Lauer wrote in a Mediaite blog post in May 2020, “On October 9, 2019, I was falsely accused of rape. This accusation was one of the worst and most consequential things to ever happen in my life, it was devastating for my family, and outrageously it was used to sell books. The rush to judgment was swift. In fact, on the morning I was falsely accused of rape, and before I could even issue a statement, some journalists were already calling my accuser ‘brave’ and ‘courageous.’ I was also disappointed, but not surprised, that Ronan Farrow’s overall reporting faced so little scrutiny.”

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Matt Lauer Eric Kowalsky / MEGA

Following the scandal, Lauer's then-wife Annette Roque initiated divorce proceedings in July 2019. The couple, who have three children together, completed the divorce process in September of that year.

Since then, Lauer has maintained a relatively low profile. However, a source revealed in July 2022 that he is still eager to make a comeback. The insider also mentioned that Lauer is considering a podcast deal as he has come to terms with the end of his TV career. Additionally, his children, Jack (22), Thijs (17), and Romy (20), are reportedly more supportive of his future plans.