In the last surprising TV development since Jon Snow was brought back to life on Game of Thrones, Billy Bush has parted ways with The Today Show.
Following days of strong rumors, this departure was made official on Monday evening.
And it was left to Matt Lauer on Tuesday morning to actually deliver the news to viewers.
Watch him do so here:
“NBC News announced last night Billy would be leaving the Today show immediately, noting that he was a valued colleague and longtime member of the broader NBC family,” Lauer said at the top of Today, adding:
“And of course, all of us here at Today wish Billy the very best.”
Is that really accurate?
It’s impossible for us to say.
But multiple sources over the past several days reported that Bush wasn’t very popular at the job he started in August.
For example, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hota Kotb allegedly celebrated his suspension.
When 9 a.m. rolled around this morning and Bush was nowhere to be seen, Tamron Hall was also forced to acknowledged Bush’s exit.
“As you may have heard, our former co-host Billy Bush is no longer with the Today show,” she said.
“This comes after his involvement in an Access Hollywood taping with Donald Trump in 2005. As a longtime member of the NBC family, we wish Billy all the best as he moves forward.”
Ah, yes, that tape with Donald Trump in 2005.
By now, we’re guessing you’re very familiar with the footage that was leaked this month by The Washington Post.
It featured Trump bragging to Bush about how just grabs the private parts of women he finds attractive and that he doesn’t even wait for permission to kiss them on the lips.
At one point, Bush says of a soap opera actress who is scheduled to film a scene opposite Trump that day:
“You’re girl is hot as shit. Yes! The Donald has scored again!”
Bush comes across like a frat boy loser in the video.
You can be reminded of how pathetic his exchange with Trump was here:
“Billy Bush will be leaving the Today show’s 9am hour, effective today,” the morning show’s senior Vice President, Noah Oppenheim, wrote in an internal memo to the program’s staff yesterday.
“While he was a new member of the Today team, he was a valued colleague and longtime member of the broader NBC family. We wish him success as he goes forward.”
The terms of Bush’s exit have not been disclosed.
It does not appear as if he’s been fired, however, likely because he reportedly threatened to sue the network.
Soon after his departure was made public, Bush released the following statement:
“I am deeply grateful for the conversations I’ve had with my daughters, and for all of the support from family, friends and colleagues. I look forward to what lies ahead.”
What lies ahead for Donald Trump is almost definitely some kind of television network.
Would anyone really be surprised if Billy Bush was a part of it?