Matt Lauer fired: Celebrities react to sacking after co-presenters announce it live on air - as it happened

The news was announced on The Today Show where Lauer has been an anchor for two decades

Matt Lauer fired: NBC presenter gives heartfelt reaction to colleague's sacking

Donald Trump has called for NBC executives to be fired amid news that news anchor Matt Lauer has had his contract terminated for inappropriate workplace behaviour.

The news was announced on The Today Show where Lauer has been an anchor for two decades by Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb who had both been informed minutes before going on air.

Lauer, the highest-paid personality in TV news, has been dropped over what is currently reported to be a sole harassment allegation made by an employee. NBC chairman Andy Lack revealed that Lauer's firing came after “being presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

"Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace,” Trump wrote on Twitter minutes after the news broke. "But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News.

Lauer, the highest-paid personality in TV news, has been dropped over what is currently reported to be a sole harassment allegation made by an employee.

Lack revealed that Lauer's firing came after “being presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

The news comes after CBS sacked leading anchor Charlie Rose following allegations of sexual misconduct while as well as Fox News who sacked Bill O'Reilly in April.

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Key Points

• Matt Lauer fired after sexual misconduct allegation
• Co-host Savannah Guthrie announced his dismissal on air having learned the news moments before 
• Donald Trump calls for firing of NBC executives

[29 November 2017 12:55 · Steve Anderson]

Donald Trump responded to the news minutes after its announcement 

[29 November 2017 13:20 · Steve Anderson]

Lauer is said to be the highest-paid personality in TV news

[29 November 2017 13:28 · Steve Anderson]

NBC is moving fast

[29 November 2017 13:54 · Steve Anderson]

Watch Lauer's co-hosts announce his dismissal having learned the news moments before going on air 

[29 November 2017 14:34 · Steve Anderson]

​Trump's tweeted about the news again  

[29 November 2017 15:13 · Steve Anderson]

[29 November 2017 15:17 · Steve Anderson]

 Again, here's the difficult moment Matt Lauer's NBC colleagues announced that he had been fired

[29 November 2017 15:19 · Steve Anderson]

Several high profile stars of the entertainment world have reacted to the news of Lauer's firing

[29 November 2017 17:11 · Kristin Hugo]

Fellow NBC News anchor Willie Geist, who hosts the "Today" show's Sunday program, told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that he was stunned, especially given Mr Lauer's role.

"Matt Lauer is the most powerful person at NBC News, arguably," Mr Geist said, referring to Mr Lauer as a friend and mentor who he said had always led by example on the show's set.

[29 November 2017 17:48 · Kristin Hugo]

The lawyer for Matt Lauer's accuser is praising NBC for acting "quickly and responsibly" to fire the "Today" show host.

Ari Wilkenfeld says in a statement that representatives from NBC's Human Resources Department met with him and his unnamed client Monday night for her account of alleged  "egregious acts of sexual harassment and misconduct" by Mr Lauer. 

By Wednesday morning, NBC had investigated and removed Mr Lauer. 

Mr Wilkenfeld says he is impressed by NBC's response, but he's "awed" by the courage his client displayed in voicing her grievance while asking nothing more than for NBC to correct it.