Savannah Guthrie and ??? ??Hoda Kotb took time out of Wednesday's episode of theToday show to respond to new allegations against their former co-host, Matt Lauer.
In 2017, Lauer was terminated from NBC News for alleged "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace." But overnight new allegations about the former Todayanchor were revealed in excerpts from Ronan Farrow's forthcoming book, Catch and Kill.
Variety reported that Farrow's book details an interview with former NBC employee Brooke Nevils, who previously came forward to report behavior that led to Lauer's firing two years ago. Nevils identity had been kept private at her request, but she speaks publicly in the book to allege that Lauer anally raped her in his hotel room at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
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Guthrie and Kotb briefly paused the show Wednesday to address viewers directly.
SEE ALSO: Matt Lauer is what happens when men who are terrible to women are given every benefit of the doubt"I feel like we owe it to our viewers to pause for a moment. You know, this is shocking and appalling and I honestly don't even know what to say about it," Guthrie began. "I know it wasn't easy for our colleague Brooke to come forward then, it's not easy now, and we support her and any women who have come forward with claims."
"It's just very painful for all of us at NBC and who are at the Today show.You know, it's very very very difficult," she said.
Kotb chimed in and recalled the emotional show two years ago, during which the two women responded to Lauer's firing on air.
"I'm looking at you and I'm having a weird moment that we were sitting here just like this two years ago... truth be told Savannah and I did a little prayer upstairs just before this to sort of sort out what we were gonna do," Kotb said. "It's like you feel like you've known someone for 12 years... You know someone, you feel like you know them inside and out — and then all of a sudden like a door opens up and it's a part of them you didn't know."
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"We don't know all the facts in all of this, but there are not allegations of an affair, there are allegations of a crime and I think that's shocking to all of us here who have sat with Matt many many years," Kotb went on. "I think we're going to sort of continue to process this part of this horrific story, and as you said, our thoughts are with Brooke. It's not easy what she did, to come forward. It's not easy at all."
Guthrie concluded the segment by saying, "I think I speak for all of us. We're disturbed to our core and we have a commitment to keep you informed and we will continue to do that."
Lauer denied Nevils' rape allegation in a letter shared with Varietyon Wednesday.
UPDATE: Oct. 9, 2019, 10:32 a.m. EDT Updated to include Lauer's response to the new allegations.