Today Show Host Savannah Guthrie Fights Back Tears While Announcing Matt Lauer's Firing

On the morning of Nov. 29, Today show cohost Savannah Guthrie broke the shocking news that her fellow cohost Matt Lauer was terminated from NBC News due to "inappropriate sexual behavior." Guthrie appeared to be holding back tears alongside Hoda Kotb as the two addressed the situation on air. "This is a sad morning here at Today and at NBC News," Guthrie said before reading an email NBC News chairman Andy Lack sent to the organization's employees regarding Lauer's firing.

Lack's email explained that two days earlier, a staffer had come forth with a "detailed complaint" about Lauer's inappropriate workplace behavior. Although this was the first complaint made against the TV journalist in his more than two decades at NBC News, there was reason to believe it "may not have been an isolated incident," the email noted.

"We just learned this moments ago, just this morning," Guthrie said after she finished reciting the email. "As I'm sure you can imagine, we are devastated and we are still processing all of this." She continued, "For the moment, all we can say is we are heartbroken. I'm heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear friend and my partner and he is beloved by many people here. And I'm heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story, and any other women who have their own stories to tell."

Kotb chimed in to add, "This is a very tough morning for both of us. I've known Matt for 15 years and I've loved him as a friend and a colleague. Again just like you're saying Savannah, it's hard to reconcile what we are hearing with the man who we know who walks in the building every single day."

Watch the entire video clip above to see Guthrie and Kotb's candid reactions to the upsetting news.