Overview: Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie at NBC
Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie are both longtime NBC News personalities who anchored high-profile morning and evening news programs. This relationship explainer outlines their overlapping tenures, distinct roles, and professional context without inferring personal dynamics beyond on-air collaboration. It relies on verifiable role dates and station affiliations to clarify how viewers saw them together on screen and where their responsibilities diverged.
Matt Lauer: Tenure at NBC and departure details
Role and major milestones
Matt Lauer was best known as the co-anchor of NBC’s Today from 1997 to 2017. He joined NBC News in 1994, initially as a correspondent, before becoming a Today co-anchor in late 1997. During his time on Today, he anchored alongside Katie Couric, Ann Curry, and later Savannah Guthrie for brief periods. In November 2017, NBC ended Lauer’s employment following multiple allegations of misconduct reported internally and publicly. The network cited violations of its conduct standards, and Lauer issued an apology but did not return to NBC News afterward.
Key facts at a glance
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Today co-anchor tenure | 1997–2017 | NBC announcements and media reports |
| Initial NBC role | NBC News correspondent (joined 1994) | NBC News press archives |
| Departure date | November 29, 2017 | NBC statement and news coverage |
| Post-departure status | No longer with NBC; no on-air return | Network confirmations |
Savannah Guthrie: Role, dates, and current status
Role and timeline at NBC
Savannah Guthrie is a journalist who joined NBC News in 2011 as a White House correspondent and later became a co-anchor on Today. She began co-anchoring Today in 2012 and continued in that role well after Lauer’s departure. As of the latest public information, Guthrie remains a Today co-anchor and NBC News correspondent. She anchors from New York and frequently appears on other NBC News platforms, but there have been no official announcements indicating she has left the network or Today.
Key facts at a glance
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Today co-anchor tenure | 2012–present (as of public NBC records) | NBC Today show listings |
| Initial NBC role | NBC News White House correspondent (joined 2011) | NBC News media kits |
| Current role | Today co-anchor, NBC News correspondent | Recent on-air appearances and NBC bios |
| No official departure announced | Reported as active on Today | Network schedules and statements |
Direct collaboration: When did they appear together?
Lauer and Guthrie appeared together on Today only for a short window in 2012. Guthrie joined Today as a co-anchor in April 2012, while Lauer remained co-anchor until November 2017. NBC typically assigns two regular co-anchors per shift, so they were simultaneous on-air colleagues for part of 2012 before the network shifted to a single regular co-anchor format for the morning show. During that overlap, they co-hosted Today broadcasts, participated in cross-promotional segments, and shared major morning news coverage. There is no evidence of a formal professional partnership beyond their shared on-air duties on Today.
Relationship context: Professional boundaries and public coverage
Public discussion of Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie has centered on their roles as NBC News hosts rather than personal friendship or collaboration outside work. No reputable source has confirmed a close personal relationship between them; available coverage treats them as colleagues who happened to anchor the same program at different times. In the wake of Lauer’s 2017 departure, NBC emphasized that Guthrie and other anchors would continue the morning show’s coverage. Media reports about their interactions have focused on professional duties, such as handoffs between weekday shifts and special event coverage, not on off-air dynamics.
Comparative summary: Roles, networks, and timelines
- Both worked at NBC News, but on different primary programs for most of their tenures: Lauer on Today (1997–2017), Guthrie on Today (2012–present) and earlier as White House correspondent.
- They co-anchored Today together only in 2012, before the show settled into a single regular co-anchor format.
- Lauer’s NBC career ended in November 2017 following misconduct allegations; Guthrie remains an active NBC News anchor as of the latest available information.
- No verified information links them beyond employer overlap; their relationship is best described as former simultaneous colleagues at a major network.
Status and legacy: Key takeaways
Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie are linked primarily by their shared employer and a brief period as simultaneous Today co-anchors in 2012. Lauer’s tenure ended in 2017 amid misconduct allegations, while Guthrie has remained an active NBC News anchor. The public record contains no evidence of a personal friendship or ongoing collaboration beyond their professional duties at NBC. Understanding their relationship requires distinguishing between on-air partnership, employer overlap, and private interactions, the latter of which are not documented in reputable sources.
FAQ
Reader questions
Did Savannah Guthrie replace Matt Lauer on Today?
No. Guthrie joined Today as a co-anchor in 2012, well before Lauer’s departure in 2017. The morning show had multiple co-anchors and format changes independent of Lauer’s exit. When NBC ended Lauer’s contract in 2017, Guthrie continued in her existing role, and the show continued with its then-current anchors and structure.
Are Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie friends?
There is no verified public information indicating a personal friendship between them. Available reporting treats their connection as professional—colleagues who shared the Today anchor desk during a brief 2012 overlap. NBC has not released statements about their personal relationships, and no reputable source has documented a close bond outside work.
Do Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie communicate now?
NBC has not disclosed private interactions between former employees, so their current personal communication is not publicly confirmed. Both remain associated with NBC News in different capacities—Guthrie as an active anchor, Lauer as a former employee who left the network in 2017—though there is no indication of ongoing close contact.
How did Matt Lauer’s departure affect Today’s lineup?
Following Lauer’s departure in November 2017, NBC adjusted Today’s anchor lineup, with existing co-anchors and correspondents handling the broadcast. Savannah Guthrie and others continued their regular roles, and the network emphasized continuity. No single replacement for Lauer was named; instead, the show relied on a team approach and later announced new permanent co-anchor assignments in the months that followed.