Billy Bush Officially Leaves ‘Today’ Show After Settlement With NBC: Read His Statement

It’s a done deal. Billy Bush has officially exited the Today show after reaching a settlement with NBC, Ipresstv can confirm. Noah Oppenheim, the executive in charge of the morning show, broke the news to staff in a memo on Monday, October 17. 

“Billy Bush will be leaving the Today show’s 9 a.m. hour, effective today,” the email read. ”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.”

“I am deeply grateful for the conversations I’ve had with my daughters, and for all of the support from family, friends and colleagues,” Bush said in a statement. “I look forward to what lies ahead.”

According to TMZ, Bush reached a settlement with the network for an undisclosed amount. 

As previously reported, the TV personality signed a three-year deal with the network earlier this year for a reported $3.5 million a year. His lawyer, Marshall Grossman, previously denied rumors that the host had settled for $10 million. 

“There is no $10 million agreement and that amount has not been discussed,” the litigator said over the weekend on Saturday, October 15, after reports surfaced online. “Negotiations are ongoing between the parties.”

Bush was initially suspended by the network after audio of him participating in a lewd conversation with Donald Trump while riding on a Access Hollywood bus in 2005 was published online by The Washington Post. In the video, Bush can be heard laughing and engaging with the Republican presidential nominee while Trump bragged about flirting with a married women and grabbing them by their genitals.

Immediately after the tape was leaked, the TV host issued an apology. “Obviously I’m embarrassed and ashamed,” he said in a statement on October 7. “It’s no excuse, but this happened 11 years ago — I was younger, less mature and acted foolishly in playing along. I’m very sorry.”

Billy Bush Cried Over Messing His Career With Leaked Video Of Trump Vulgar Remarks Over Women

Tough times. Billy Bush was in tears after his 2005 Access Hollywood video with Donald Trump — in which both men make vulgar comments about women — was released, a source tells Us Weekly.

According to the insider, the 44-year-old TV personality is scared that the scandal has caused permanent damage to his career.

“Billy was devastated and crying when the leaked tape of him with Donald Trump in 2005 was first leaked to The Washington Post,” the source tells Us of the Today cohost’s fragile emotional state. “He was crying that his career was over.”

The insider tells Us that Access Hollywood producers recalled Bush and Trump’s offensive interaction from 11 years ago after the Associated Press recently ran an article quoting former Apprentice employees saying that the Republican presidential nominee, 70, "was lewd and sexist" while taping the reality show. 

“It got out after the AP story about Donald talking about women on theApprentice set came out last week. Everyone at Access Hollywood was talking about it and how to cover it,” the source explains. “One of the producers remembered the 2005 tape and the Access tape librarian went through the archives to find the tape.”

In this 2005 frame from video, Donald Trump prepares for an appearance on 'Days of Our Lives' with actress Arianne Zucker (center). He is accompanied to the set by 'Access Hollywood' host Billy Bush.The Washington Post via Getty Images

According to CNN, the AP story, along with Trump's fat-shaming comments about Miss Universe alum Alicia Machado, contributed to Access Hollywood's decision to uncover the tape. 

In the controversial clip, which leaked to The Washington Post on Friday, October 7, Bush and the business mogul engage in misogynistic banter about Trump’s failed attempts to “f--k” a married woman (later to be identified asNancy O’Dell) before taping a segment for Access Hollywood.

Not long after the video made its way online — and caused a media firestorm — Bush deleted his Twitter account and issued an apology in a statement to Iprsstv

NBC Suspends Billy Bush, Host on ‘Today,’ Amid Donald Trump's Provocative Video

Billy Bush, the host on the “Today” show who has drawn strong critique for his allege part in the video where Donald J. Trump is heard making nasty comments about, has been suspended by NBC.

The NBC manager who manages “Today,” Noah Oppenheim, disclosed this in a notice to members of his staff on Sunday that “we have all been profoundly disconcerted by the disclosure of the past 48 hours.”

“Let me be clear — there is simply no excuse for Billy’s language and behavior on that tape,” he said. “NBC has decided to suspend Billy, pending further review of this matter.”

It is not clear how long the duration suspension will last.

Mr. Bush was in the middle of a volcanic 2005 video that was released on Friday, in which he was heard laughing and urging Mr. Trump as they involved in a gross and misogynistic discussion about women.

The news of the suspension is a repudiation for NBC News, whose officials maintained all through the weekend that there is no plans to punish Mr. Bush and that he was expected to discuss the controversy on Monday’s show

But within the two days of  the video’s release, there has been a vigorous social media reaction, including hundreds of outraged commentaries on his Facebook page, most of them from women.