Matt Lauer and his girlfriend of three years, Shamin Abas, are still going strong.
The couple, who are rarely photographed together, were spotted enjoying a romantic date night in New York City’s Upper East Side neighborhood in January 2023.
The embattled former “Today” show host and the marketing whiz walked side by side holding hands as they browsed stores on the swanky Madison Avenue.
The couple, who have been friends for more than a decade, began dating after NBC execs fired Lauer over a string of sexual misconduct accusations that torpedoed his television career.
Here’s everything you need to know about the leading lady in his life.
Who is Shamin Abas?
The Welsh-born PR and marketing executive is believed to have met Lauer almost two decades before they started dating.
The two reportedly met through mutual friends before sparking romance rumors in 2019.
“Matt and Shamin have known each other for many years; she spends a lot of time in the Hamptons, as does he,” a source told Page Six in December 2019.
“They very recently began dating. She is a lovely woman.”
What is Shamin Abas’ job?
Advertisement
According to Abas’ official website, she “launched her eponymous communications firm in 2005, which works solely with ultra-luxury brands that cater to Very-High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals, building an unmatched reputation within the realm of the affluent lifestyle marketing arena.”
The business woman, who sits on The Luxury Council at NYU Stern School of Business and is Co-Founder of the UHNW Symposium, noted that she chooses projects “on a selective basis that range from business development planning with the executive team, to designing and producing money-can’t-buy experiences that draw, engage and wow even the hardest to impress individuals.”
Have Matt Lauer or Shamin Abas ever been married?
Lauer was married to screenwriter Nancy Alspaugh from 1981 to 1988.
He then tied the knot with former model Annette Roque in 1998, and the pair were together for almost two decades.
They split in 2017 after Lauer was axed by NBC amid a series of complaints about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.
They finalized their divorce two years later, at which time Page Six reported Lauer agreed to pay Roque as much as $20 million in their settlement and gave her their Hamptons house.
Abas, for her part, has also been married twice: first to a dentist in Detroit, then to a nightclub entrepreneur named Frank Cilione, according to People.
How many children does Matt Lauer have?
Lauer and Roque share three kids together.
The former couple welcomed their son Jack in 2001 and their son Thijs in 2003. They also share a daughter named Romy, who they welcomed in 2006.
Where is Matt Lauer’s career now?
Lauer was ousted by NBC in November 2017 and his career has yet to recover.
“On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer,” NBC Chairman Andy Lack said of Lauer’s exit at the time.
“It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company’s standards. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment.”
Brooke Nevils, a former NBC employee, accused Lauer of raping her in his hotel room during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. He was also allegedly caught sexting multiple staffers, including an NBC intern.
Lauer apologized in a statement after his firing.
“There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry,” he began. “As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC.”
In the years since, Lauer has kept a low profile, making a few rare public outings, and appearances on daughter Romy’s TikTok account.
A source told People in November 2022 that he had “kind of withdrawn from several friendships in the last year.”
The insider noted that Lauer was in “transitional time” as his children head to college, and was a “semi-empty nester, not working.”