Someone is team Matt Lauer — and that’s his first wife, Nancy Alspaugh. The 63-year-old recently sat down for an interview with Entertainment Tonight and shared she thinks the estranged journalist, who was fired from Today after sexual harassment allegations in November, “needs to be given a second chance.”

In fact, she wants people to look at the good in Matt — like what a loving father he is to his three children, Jack, 17, Romy, 14, and Thijs, 11. “Matt has always been a support to his family and loved ones,” she explained. “He has done so much quietly to help others and to support important causes. He donated a tremendous amount to my autism charity, ACT Today. Many people don’t know that through all his hard work, he has been able to give back and has made a difference in this world. Matt never did this for the thanks and would like nothing more than to continue to give back to society.”

On top of that, she insisted Matt will be “back working in no time.” Nancy added, “He has cut himself off, but he wants to be part of the change in this world and he needs to be given a chance. It could be behind or in front of the camera. He will never stop recording life and sharing that with the world. He is a tremendous storyteller, a documentarian. He is equally good in front and behind the cameras, so I am sure this will work out for him.”

Nancy also took the time to explain how Matt’s highly publicized divorce from Annette Roque has been different than theirs in 1988. “Their very public divorce has been a different experience than what Matt and I faced,” she explained. “In terms of ending our marriage, we took the easy route. We both just felt it was time to move on because of our careers. I think we could have made it work. I had too much pride. We have discussed this and agree, if we worked harder and we had put our marriage before our careers, we might have saved our marriage and had a future together.”

She continued, “Our relationship is done, we had our time, and I know he loves me in a special way and I love him in a special way. While we didn’t last, Matt’s mother and sister are family to me. Our children are about the same age, and a couple of years ago, around the time I lost my husband, we all got together and our kids got to know each other. There have never been any ill feelings.”

matt lauer and annette roque
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Perhaps that’s why Nancy is just hoping someday Matt will get the chance to redeem himself. “I don’t think he’s been given a chance to defend himself, and I hope one day soon he will be able to tell his story,” she confessed. “I’m sure it will be soon. He is beginning to feel like himself again, and people will finally hear his side of the story.” We’ll see…

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