The dream of a re-pairing between Matt Lauer and Katie Couric is dead.
"We certainly spoke about the possibility," Lauer said at a news conference following Meredith Vieira's announcement that she will exit NBC's "Today," according to USA Today. "But it turned into just talk, and that's where we left it. It's not going to happen."
Also read: Meredith Vieira Announces 'Today' Exit; Ann Curry to Replace Her
Lauer confirmed Couric had approached him about joining the daytime talk show she plans to start next fall.
Her leaving "CBS Evening News" raised the possibility that she could rejoin Lauer when his contract ends on "Today." But Couric has narrowed her choices to moving to ABC or staying at CBS, and Lauer's comments preclude the possibility even more.
Lauer's talked about Couric after Monday's on-air announcement that Vieira will hand off co-anchoring duties to newsreader Ann Curry.
Also read: Lauer to Couric: "Heard Any Good Rumors Lately?" (Video)
Curry, who joined "Today" in 1997, will be replaced as its newsreader by Natalie Morales. White House correspondent Savannah Guthrie, a frequent "Today" fill-in, will join the show as a co-host in its third hour.