A former NBC producer is shopping around her story about how she was drawn into an affair with Matt Lauer that led to him losing his $25 million-per-year job as the star anchor of “Today,” Page Six reports.
The unnamed woman, who is believed to no longer work at NBC, has been in talks with a variety of publishing houses about her proposed book, Page Six said. She will reportedly explain how Lauer’s alleged inappropriate conduct started at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and continued for several months.
The woman was a former assistant for Lauer’s ex-“Today” co-host Meredith Vieira and eventually became a producer of “Today,” Page Six said. She went to NBC bosses on Nov. 27, 2017. Lauer was fired the next night by NBC News chairman Andy Lack, who paid a visit to his New York apartment.
“This was not a fling; it was an affair,” a source told Page Six. “She went and complained and Matt was fired. He admitted it when Andy confronted him.”
Page Six said it’s not known if the woman will identify herself in the book. When the scandal first broke, her attorney said she was “terrified” that people would learn her identity. For that reason, the possibility she wants to write a tell-all book is “surprising” to some TV sources, Page Six added.
Since Lauer’s downfall, he has reportedly kept a low profile while living in his family’s home in the Hamptons. Once upon a time, he was a “super busy” person, anchoring “Today,” flying around the world to cover Olympics competitions in Russia and Rio de Janeiro and schmoozing with New York’s media elite.
Since then, sources told People, he has been struggling to cope with his new normal.
“It has been hard for him,” a source told People. “He went from being a super busy person to having nothing but time on his hands.”
The source added: “He is not doing well.”
Lauer also has been caught up in the long, drawn-out process of finalizing a multimillion-dollar divorce from wife Annette Roque, the mother of his three children, Jack, 17, Romy, 14, and Thijs, 11.
Page Six reported in November that he and Roque still occupy their 12-bedroom mansion, but that’s perhaps for the sake of co-parenting their children. Lauer also has agreed to pay his wife $20 million, Page Six reported in August.
Contrary to reports, Lauer has not been thinking about making a comeback, a source told Page Six.
“There is no way that he’s thinking about returning to work at all,” the source said. “How could he? He knows there’s no TV role for him now. And, to be honest, it’s the furthest thing from his mind.”
People previously reported that Lauer’s focus is on maintaining his relationship with his kids.
“He’s trying to get by (by) putting all his energy into his kids,” a source told People. “He is working on his relationship with his kids. They have a good relationship, but they’ve been through a lot.”
