(RNN) - In a statement read on the 'Today' show Thursday morning, fired host Matt Lauer apologized a day after it was made public he'd been fired for alleged sexual misconduct.
The statement released was as follows:
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. As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC.
Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly.
Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I’m committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full time job. The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It’s been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace.
Lauer was fired Tuesday night after a detailed complaint from a colleague was received Monday night, NBC said. His colleagues on 'Today' found out about his firing only minutes before the show was set to air.
NBC announced Wednesday that its star news man had been fired from his $25-million-a-year job after an NBC employee complained on Monday night about improper sexual conduct. Variety said the behavior began at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and continued for several months.
Variety and the New York Times published stories Wednesday revealing the lurid nature of the allegations swirling around the longtime 'Today' host.
One of the journalists investigating Lauer said on "Good Morning America" that they are investigating additional complaints against Lauer.
Variety wrote that it had talked to three women who said they were sexually harassed at work by Lauer, and their stories were corroborated by friends and colleagues the accusers told of the incidents at the time they allegedly occurred.
NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said the complaint filed on Monday was the first in Lauer’s more than 20 years with the company.
“We were also presented with reason to believe that this may not have been an isolated incident,” Lack said in a statement that was read live on Wednesday's Today Show by Lauer’s co-host Savannah Guthrie.
But Variety said it had spoken to several other women who said they had complained to management with no results.
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