WATCH: Today Show Reacts to ‘Shocking and Appalling’ Matt Lauer Rape Allegations

Once again, Today show hosts Savanah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb had to address extremely unpleasant allegations to their viewing audience about their former colleague Matt Lauer — who has been accused of raping a former fellow NBC employee.

The allegations are revealed in the new book written by Ronan Farrow, Catch and Kill, the details of of which were reported by Variety early Wednesday morning.

Variety reported the portion of Farrow’s book where Brooke Nevils talks about how she worked with Meredith Vieira during the Sochi Olympics, and Lauer joined the two of them for drinks one night when they met at the hotel bar. Farrow reports that Nevils had six shots of vodka that night, but she recalled that she went to Lauer’s hotel room twice, “once to retrieve her press credential, which Lauer had taken as a joke, and the second time because he invited her back.”

When the two of them went back to Lauer’s room, Lauer allegedly got physical with Nevils, kissed her, and started “asking if she liked anal sex.” Nevils says she declined Lauer multiple times, but he kept advancing on her and eventually raped her.

After reporting on the allegations on Today, reporter Morgan Radford revealed that NBC News had reached out to Lauer for a statement (which he had not responded to) before airing his past statement on previous allegations. She then read statements put forth by NBC and NBC News chief Andy Lack:

Matt Lauer’s conduct was appalling horrific and reprehensible and we said at the time that’s why he was fired within 24 hours of us first learning of the complaint. Our hearts break again for our colleague. In addition, NBC news chairman, Andy lack said previously, our highest priority is to ensure we have a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected. We are absolutely committed to making this a reality. There can be no exceptions.

Guthrie addressed the issue first, saying to viewers, “we feel like we owe it to our viewers to pause for a moment,” and calling the allegations “shocking and appalling.”

“I honestly don’t even know what to say about it,” she added. She then supported her former colleague: “We support her and any women who come forward with claims.”

Kotb followed by noting the “weird moment that we were sitting here just like this two years ago,” and addressing other allegations that embroiled the NBC newsroom. She said “we don’t know all the fact in this,” before noting “these 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 for many many years.”

Watch above via NBC.

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com