Matt Lauer has deleted his Twitter and Instagram accounts in the wake of several allegations of sexual harassment made against him.
Prior to deactivating his social media pages on Thursday, November 30, the former Today show host, 59, released a statement that same day in response to the claims.
“There are are no words to express my sorry and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry,” Lauer said in a statement to Us Weekly, which was also read by his former colleague Savannah Guthrie on Thursday’s episode of Today. “As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC. Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly.”
The veteran journalist, who has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women, opened up about how the alleged encounters have affected him. “Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I’m committed to beginning that effort,” he continued. “The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It’s been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace.”
As previously reported, Lauer was fired by NBC on Wednesday, November 27, after an employee accused him of misconduct in the worst place. Later that day, Variety and The New York Times published reports of more claims against the former talk show host.
On Thursday, Megyn Kelly invited Lauer and the women who have made claims against him to come onto her show, Megan Kelly Today, to share their stories.
“As hard as it is to report on our of our own colleagues, we remain committed to telling people’s stories if they choose to come forward,” Kelly, 47, said. “And the women in this case too — the Matt Lauer case — are invited and welcome to do exactly that on this show.”
