It has been seven years since America woke up to one of the most stunning TV scandals in decades.

Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, co-hosts of NBC’s Today, took their places behind the news desk on Wednesday morning, November 29, 2017, seemingly poised to present the day’s news.

Known for their usually lively and cheerful morning show, the duo appeared solemn as they prepared to share a shocking announcement that would reverberate widely.

Guthrie commenced by reading a message from NBC News chairman Andy Lack: ‘Dear Colleagues, on Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague regarding inappropriate sexual conduct at work by Matt Lauer.’

Lauer, the Today co-anchor of 20 years and one of the biggest names in TV news, had been fired.

The first allegation came from a female colleague accusing the married Lauer of inappropriate sexual behavior during NBC’s coverage of the 2017 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Then, the floodgates opened and more women accused him of sexual misconduct.

The glittering career of the face of NBC, who made roughly $28 million a year, was in ruins. 

Matt Lauer (pictured this week in the Hamptons) was the co-anchor of the Today show for 20 years, from 1997 to 2017 

Lauer (pictured in Sag Harbor) was fired from NBC 

The Daily Mail has learned that Lauer (pictured in Sag Harbor) is laying the groundwork for a return to the spotlight and is networking with former colleagues to see who can help him find a new job

Lauer was exiled almost instantly, leaving behind his tenure at NBC: hosting the network’s flagship morning show, covering multiple Olympics and interviewing people from presidential candidates to Princes William and Harry.

Now, Lauer, 67, seems to be planning what most deem impossible: a comeback.  

The Daily Mail has learned that Lauer is laying the groundwork for a return to the spotlight and is networking with former colleagues to see who can help him find a new job.

Lauer, who was long considered untouchable, was dumped just as the #MeToo movement was in full swing. Sources say he is still reeling from the abrupt 2017 firing.

A representative for Lauer did not return the Daily Mail’s request for comment. 

While Lauer hopes to return to prominence in some form, he is not yet set on the venue. 

‘Matt has been reconnecting with old friends, and it’s not by accident,’ a source close to the former broadcaster told the Daily Mail. 

‘He believes he was unfairly treated and feels he still has something to say, something to offer – he’s just been waiting for the right moment.’

Lauer has not hit the airwaves since losing his position as one of America’s highest-paid journalists. But privately, his appearances have been strategic.  

In late 2023, the disgraced anchor was spotted attending the same wedding as Guthrie and Kotb. It was seemingly the first time the trio had been in the same room since his dramatic fall from grace.

Lauer later reappeared at CNN anchor Don Lemon’s April 2024 wedding. 

‘Matt has been reconnecting with old friends, and it’s not by accident,’ a source close to the former broadcaster told the Daily Mail

‘He believes he was unfairly treated and feels he still has something to say, something to offer – he’s just been waiting for the right moment,’ a source said

Lauer has been recently spotted on Long Island

Lauer, who was long considered untouchable, was dumped just as the #MeToo movement was in full swing. Sources say he is still reeling from the abrupt 2017 firing

Since those appearances, our sources say that Lauer has been quietly texting his friends in the business, asking if they have any hookups for new gigs. 

‘Matt has always been a networker,’ says a former Today colleague who claims to be among the people Lauer has texted.

‘He kept in touch with people because it’s good journalistic practice. So he’s doing the same thing now networking with people who might be able to help him.’ 

Personally, Lauer seems to have rebounded from the scandal. 

He finalized his divorce from Annette Roque in 2019, ending a 20-year marriage. Although he reportedly paid out millions to his ex, he retained ownership of his sprawling $36 million Sag Harbor estate and other real estate holdings, including a $7 million Manhattan apartment and a smaller $17 million home outside of the city. 

He now lives in relative seclusion on Long Island with girlfriend Shamin Abas, a British-born luxury PR executive. 

Lauer, who is worth an estimated $80 million, has occasionally been spotted paddle boarding or grabbing coffee at upscale cafes on Long Island.  He’s also spent extended periods on his expansive New Zealand farm. 

Despite the turmoil, Lauer has remained close to his three children – Jack, 24, Romy, 21, and Thijs, 18 – and is often spotted attending events and taking vacations with them. 

‘They are his top priority,’ said a friend. ‘He’s worked hard to be present and rebuild trust.’

But will his former friends and colleagues be able – and willing – to help Lauer rebound professionally? 

Lauer has not hit the airwaves since losing his position as one of America’s highest-paid journalists

He finalized his divorce from Annette Roque (pictured) in 2019, ending a 20-year marriage

Matt Lauer (with girlfriend Shamin Abas) attended Don Lemon’s NYC wedding in 2024

Lauer still attends events of his grown children, including his daughter Romy’s 2022 graduation

While Lauer attended the 2023 wedding of a Today Show producer, he was not pictured the selfies that former colleagues posted on social media 

Earlier this year, Lemon said it was time for Lauer to make his return.

Speaking to The Hollywood Raw podcast, Lemon categorized 2017, the year in which Lauer was fired, as ‘an era where people were just kind of getting canceled right and left. And I think it was an internal issue.

‘And at the end of the day, I think the public loves him, the public misses him, but it’s just the – it’s the people inside the business who are afraid,’ Lemon, 58, said.

But Lauer’s co-anchor Katie Couric has been less charitable, condemning Lauer for his sexual misconduct and saying that the friendship couldn’t continue. 

‘So many of us were blindsided, never imagining that a dashing, witty, beloved TV star had such a dark side,’ Couric wrote in her memoir, Going There. ‘I’ve come to realize that Matt could be an excellent professional partner, a good friend and a predator.’ 

Whether Lauer successfully returns to television or remains a recluse in his Hamptons haven, one thing is certain: The once‑untouchable anchor is no longer content with silence.

‘He still sees himself as a broadcaster,’ a source said. ‘He’s just waiting for someone to give him a second shot.’