Brian Williams Breaks Silence in Interview with Today’s Matt Lauer

Following last night’s news that Brian Williams has lost the NBC Nightly News anchor chair, but will stay on with the network in some yet-to-be-announced capacity, we are learning Thursday morning that he has broken his long silence in an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer that will air on the Today show.

According to CNN’s Brian Stelter, the two men taped the interview earlier this week and it was set to air on Friday morning’s edition of Today. But it seems possible that the Charleston, South Carolina shooting news could push it to a later date.

Lester Holt, who has been filling in for Williams since his six month suspension went into effect in February, will now officially become the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News.

As one of NBC’s most prominent hosts, Lauer has been put in a difficult position over the last few months, mostly declining to comment on the Williams situation at all and at one point finding himself in an awkward exchange with actor Jim Carrey, who demanded to know, “Where are hiding Brian Williams?” on the SNL40 red carpet.

Many media watchers thought NBC might bring in an impartial interviewer, like, say, Oprah Winfrey, to handle Williams’ mea culpa, and avoid the inevitable conflict of interest accusations that will come with having an in-house personality like Lauer conduct the sit-down.

[Photos via NBC]

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