On Nov. 29, 2017, Guthrie had to announce colleague Matt Lauer's termination from Today due to "inappropriate sexual behavior." Having only learned about his firing just hours before, Guthrie was clearly distraught about the situation. "I'm heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear friend and my partner, and he is beloved by many, many people here," she said, adding, "How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly? I don't know the answer to that."

That's not the first time Guthrie has been candid about her affection for Lauer. In fact, she surprised him on his 20th anniversary with Today by popping into the show even though she was on maternity leave at the time. When a shocked Lauer said he couldn't believe she came in, Guthrie said (via People), "I just want to say, we adore you... One of the things that is so wonderful about you is that from the second I walked in here, one of the things I noticed is that Matt knows every single person's first name and last name. He knows the name of their dog. He knows how their mother is doing." Guthrie also tweeted about Lauer that day, calling him "a class act, great friend, and once in a generation talent."

Those feelings are mutual. In a 2014 interview with Variety, Lauer said Guthrie directly contributed to him re-signing his Today contract. "I love working with her," he gushed. "I am having a good time. I love the direction the show is taking."

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