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Katie Couric is speaking out in support of Brooke Nevils, the former NBC employee whose new memoir revisits her sexual assault allegations against former Today anchor Matt Lauer.
Couric, who co-anchored Today with Lauer for nearly a decade, praised Nevils for publishing Unspeakable Things: Silence, Shame, and the Stories We Choose to Believe, a memoir that details Nevils’ account of alleged sexual assault and the years of fallout that followed. Speaking to Page Six at City Harvest’s 2026 Gala in New York, Couric said she felt sympathy for Nevils and called her “very brave” for writing the book. Couric also said she had read an excerpt, though not the full memoir. (People.com)
Nevils, a former NBC producer, has alleged that Lauer sexually assaulted her while they were covering the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. She later made a confidential complaint to NBC in 2017, after which Lauer was fired from the network. Lauer has consistently denied Nevils’ allegations and has characterized their relationship as consensual. No criminal charges were brought. (The Guardian)
Couric and Lauer worked together on Today from 1997 to 2006, long before Lauer’s 2017 dismissal. Couric’s latest remarks add another prominent voice to the public conversation around Nevils’ memoir, which has renewed attention on one of the highest-profile media scandals of the #MeToo era. (EW.com)
Published by Viking on February 3, 2026, Unspeakable Things is Nevils’ first book. According to publisher Penguin Random House, the memoir examines sexual harassment, assault, power dynamics, shame and the ways survivors are often misunderstood when their experiences do not fit simple public narratives. The book is 416 pages and is described as both personal memoir and journalistic investigation. (PenguinRandomhouse.com)
Nevils has said her purpose in writing the book was not only to recount what she says happened, but also to challenge assumptions about how victims are expected to behave after trauma. In interviews and excerpts surrounding the book’s release, she has addressed the complexity of consent, workplace power imbalances and the intense public scrutiny she faced after her identity became known. (The Guardian)
Lauer, once one of NBC’s most recognizable morning television figures, has denied raping Nevils. In past statements, he acknowledged an extramarital relationship but said it was consensual. Nevils has disputed that characterization, arguing in a January interview that “consent and agreement are not synonymous” when power is unequal. (People.com)
NBC has also addressed the allegations publicly. In a statement cited after the memoir’s release, the network said Lauer’s conduct was “appalling, horrific, and reprehensible,” adding that he was fired within 24 hours of NBC first learning of the complaint. (EW.com)
Couric is not the only former Today figure to express support for Nevils. Ann Curry, who also worked with Lauer on the morning show, previously described Nevils as credible and brave. Couric’s comments, however, carry particular weight because of her long professional history with Lauer and her past reflections on how disturbing she found the allegations after they emerged. (People.com)
For Nevils, the memoir represents a public attempt to reclaim her story after years of being defined by the scandal. For readers, it has reopened a broader discussion about workplace misconduct, media accountability and the complicated ways survivors process and report alleged abuse involving powerful public figures.
Support note: Anyone affected by sexual assault can contact RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) for free, confidential support. RAINN also offers chat and text support. (rainn.org)
