CNN's top man is shutting down rumors that former "Today" host Matt Lauer is coming to the network.
"There is absolutely no truth at all in the reports that Matt is coming to CNN," Jeff Zucker told employees, according to Page Six.
Rumors of Matt's TV return via CNN began after he was spotted hamming it up with Zucker at the CNN boss' birthday party in New York City in April, along with several of the news network's top talent.
Matt and Zucker have been friends for decades, and continued to be close after Matt's unceremonious firing from NBC in the wake of multiple sexual misconduct accusations.
Matt "hopes to be back on TV by the end of the year . . . and it looks like CNN will be his new home," RadarOnline reported after Zucker's party.
Rumors that the disgraced newsman would be joining CNN wasn't exactly welcome news to many employees, particularly female employees.
"Some staff were starting to freak out that Matt Lauer was suddenly about to come back from the dead and show up at CNN's shiny new Manhattan office at Hudson Yards," a CNN insider told Page Six. "In many ways the Matt rumors seemed to make sense, ratings on CNN's morning show and across prime time have been flagging, and perhaps Matt could be brought back to revive the numbers, and his own career at the same time.
"The internal talk about Matt was that — if it turned out to be true — some senior female employees would refuse to work with him.," the insider added. "There was palpable relief in the office after Jeff confirmed Matt isn't happening."
For nearly a year, reports have surfaced claiming Matt was quietly planning a comeback. In fact, last summer while eating dinner he assured a fan that he was returning to the small screen.
"A group of older ladies came over to Lauer saying, 'We miss you!'" a source tells Page Six, adding that Matt started chatting with the group, telling them, "I've been busy being a dad. But don't worry, I'll be back on TV."