Matt Lauer Terminated From NBC After Report of ‘Inappropriate Sexual Behavior’

After having a co-host's chair on the Today show since 1994, it was announced this morning that Matt Lauer has been fired from NBC following a report of "inappropriate sexual behavior" from a colleague.

Today co-host Savanna Guthrie, who shared a table with Lauer on the morning news program for years, read a statement from NBC News chairman Andy Lack, outlining the network's decision. "On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer," it begins. "It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. While this is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

Related | 500 Women Sign Open Letter Condemning Sexual Harassment in the Art World

Guthrie was audibly upset as she read the memo alongside Hoda Kotb. "As I'm sure you can imagine, we are devastated and we're still processing all of this," she said. "We are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these past few weeks: how do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly? And I don't know the answer to that." But she didn't make an excuses or exceptions for Lauer, realizing that a zero tolerance policy is what's necessary to enact change. "This reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important. It's long overdue. And it must result in workplaces where all women, all people, feel safe and respected." Watch the clip and real the full memo, below.

Dear Colleagues,

On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender.

We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization - and do it in as transparent a manner as we can. To that end, Noah and I will be meeting with as many of you as possible throughout the day today to answer your questions.

Andy