Insiders Say the Disgraced Host Is Strategizing Behind the Scenes – Leaving Fans and Colleagues Stunned – Could He Really Return to Live TV?
Scandal-hit Matt Lauer is reportedly “still angry” and quietly plotting a shocking comeback eight years after being ousted from NBC’s Today show in a whirlwind of sexual misconduct allegations that ended his 25-year reign as morning TV’s golden boy. Insiders reveal the 67-year-old former anchor, fired on November 29, 2017, amid multiple accusations of harassment and assault, has been strategizing behind the scenes for months – from pitching podcast deals to shopping a memoir – leaving fans, former colleagues, and the industry stunned at the audacity. Could the disgraced host really return to live TV? The whispers, fueled by sightings at power lunches and cryptic social media posts, suggest Lauer is hell-bent on redemption, but with #MeToo’s scars still fresh, his potential resurrection raises explosive questions about forgiveness, accountability, and the price of second chances.
Lauer’s fall was meteoric. At his peak, he co-anchored Today to 5 million daily viewers, earning $25 million annually and rubbing shoulders with presidents and pop stars. But Ronan Farrow’s New Yorker exposé in November 2017 detailed a toxic workplace: non-consensual encounters, intimidation, and a network complicit in silence. Over 20 women came forward, including NBC staffers alleging assaults in his office. Lauer was fired within hours of the story breaking, his statement reading: “There is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.” The fallout was swift: a $32 million severance clawed back, lawsuits totaling $15 million settled quietly, and a media blackout that confined him to Hampton seclusion.
Now, eight years on, sources say Lauer is “still angry” at NBC and “hungry for validation.” “He’s been meeting with agents and producers – podcasts like Club Random with Bill Maher are interested,” a Hollywood insider told TMZ. Lauer, who married TV executive Annette Roque in 1997 (divorced 2022), has two sons, Jack (23) and Romy (21), and has kept a low profile, volunteering at a Long Island animal shelter and penning op-eds for The Hill on media bias. His Instagram, private but leaked screenshots show, hints at rumination: a quote from Hemingway: “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.”
The comeback plot thickens with whispers of a memoir, Anchored in Truth, pitched to publishers like HarperCollins for a 2026 release. “It’s his side – the ‘witch hunt’ narrative, with regrets but no full apologies,” a source said. Lauer has met with ex-colleagues like Ann Curry, who accused him of undermining her in 2012, but “no closure yet,” per insiders. Potential TV returns? SiriusXM radio is “exploring a daily show,” and Newsmax has floated guest spots. “He’s got the Rolodex – but does America want it?” a producer quipped.
Fans are torn. #LauerComeback trended with 1.2 million posts, supporters arguing “time heals,” critics raging: “MeToo isn’t a phase – it’s justice.” Ronan Farrow tweeted: “Forgiveness is personal; accountability is public.” Lauer’s team denies active plans: “Matt’s focused on family and healing.”
Eight years post-ouster, Lauer’s shadow looms. From Today‘s throne to exile’s edge, his “anger” fuels a comeback bid that’s as audacious as it is divisive. Will redemption rise, or will the past pull him under? The plot thickens – and America watches.
