Matt Lauer Focusing On Family And Love Seven Years After NBC Exit, Source Says

Matt Lauer has transitioned into a quieter, more reflective life seven years after being fired from NBC’s Today show. The former anchor, now 66, has rebuilt connections with friends, found joy in his family, and embraced a slower-paced lifestyle away from the spotlight.

“There was a time there where he wasn’t really talking to anybody. He wasn’t really talking to any of his old friends. Over the past year, he’s been reconnecting with friends and texting them and talking on the phone,” he stated.

Much of Matt’s happiness stems from his relationships with his three children — Jack, 23; Romy, 21; and Thijs, 17 — and his ex-wife, Annette Roque. Despite their divorce in 2019, the family maintains strong ties. “Matt is a good father,” a source noted, “and has spent needed time with them during their teen years.”

Matt also shares his life with Shamin Abas, his girlfriend of several years. The pair have been spotted at various social events, including Don Lemon’s wedding in April. “Matt is less worried about being seen out than he was at the beginning of these years since he left NBC,” a source said, adding, “Although he is always looking to see what he wants to do next, he is happy. He and Shamin have had a nice life in the Hamptons. Each has separate interests, and they do a lot of things together. They are a happy couple.”

While his primary residence is in the Hamptons, Matt also enjoys traveling with Shamin to their home in New Zealand. Matt loves New Zealand, and he’s always had a fondness for Florida, where he is considering spending more time in the future, a friend revealed. 

Life in the Hamptons is described as “quiet but not boring.” Matt keeps a circle of friends, including some from his days as a television star. While he no longer works and doesn’t feel the need to, those close to him say he still has an interest in journalism. “He was a journalist at heart and he did some impactful political interviews that spanned his career, but the current cycle of politics isn’t anything even people who have been doing it for a long time are really excited to cover,” a source explained.

Matt’s life took a dramatic turn in November 2017, when NBC fired him after sexual harassment allegations surfaced. Brooke Nevils, a former network employee, accused Matt of raping her at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, a claim he has consistently denied, stating that all encounters were consensual. Additional allegations followed, leading Matt to retreat from public life.

Since then, Matt has worked to rebuild his life. His first public sighting after his firing came in 2019, when he was photographed in the Hamptons. Now, years later, he seems to have found stability and contentment in his personal life.