Here's exiting "CBS Evening News" host Katie Couric -- and exiting "Today" co-host Meredith Vieira.



Question is ...

As her voice quivered ... and as she fought back tears ... Meredith Vieira finally made the announcement we all knew was coming ... saying, "I've decided to leave "Today" in June."


Vieira took the co-host seat next to Matt Lauer five years ago, replacing Katie Couric. Vieira will be replaced by Ann Curry.

Meredith says she made the decision, "After months of personal reflection and private conversations with my family and friends."

She added, "I'm really sad because ... for the past 10 years this has been my second home."

Mererdith says she wanted to spend more time with her husband, Richard, and her kids.

Vieira -- who also hosts "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" -- noted, "I really hope to stay with the NBC family ... that is my goal."

Lauer said Vieira "has brought class and dignity and talent and a joy of life to this show for the last five years."

Meredith Vieira is stepping down from her gig as co-host of the "Today" show on NBC ... this according to The Hollywood Reporter.



Vieira will reportedly remain on the show until June --- nearly 3 months before the end of her contract.

According to the report, Vieira will be replaced by newsreader Ann Curry ... and correspondent Natalie Morales will be bumped up to Curry's old spot.

As TMZ first reported, Vieira -- who took the gig next to Matt Lauer in 2006 -- wanted off the show for a while because she hated the early hours, has a husband who is ill and she's making plenty of money doing her syndicated game show, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

Matt Lauer is not seriously interested in leaving NBC -- unlike his co-host Meredith Vieira -- but he is bucking for a massive raise to $25 million dollars per year.



Sources connected with NBC tell us all the talk about Matt leaving NBC's "Today" is nothing more than a well-timed negotiating ploy.  Remember, the Matt buzz started right after reports surfaced Meredith will leave in September.

"Today" has been the #1 morning news show for 15 years -- a virtual cash register for the Peacock -- and we're told Matt wants his slice of the pie ... in other words ... $25 mil.

Lauer currently gets by on $17 million per year. 

UPDATE: A rep for NBC says they are "NOT in any negotiations with Matt ... as he is under contract for a long time."

Meredith Vieira is finally taking on the rumors surrounding her "Today Show" co-host Matt Lauer -- claiming he's definitely not having an affair ... and she's definitely not his mistress.


Moments after Vieira arrived at LAX yesterday, Matt's co-host of four years proclaimed, "As far as I know, Matt's very happy."

As for the reports that Meredith was some sort of "other woman," Vieira said, "My life is way too boring."

"Today" show hosts Natalie Morales, Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb all hung out after work at an event in NYC on Thursday.



Question is ...

Here's former "Happy Days" star Suzi Quatro, 59, aka Leather Tuscadero at an event in Sydney on Tuesday (left) -- and "Today" show host Meredith Vieira, 55, earlier this year (right).


One of them looks unbeweaveable.

We're just sayin'.

Al Roker made a big no-no when he whipped out his camera phone to Twitter from jury duty -- and according to the "Today" show graphics department and Meredith Vieira, who was in London this morning, it's an international scandal.

Jon and Kate Gosselin were supposed to hit the "Today" show together this morning to present a united front against accusations that Jon is nailin' another woman -- but someone chickened out.



Kate (and her hair) was left to defend her hubby's actions all by her lonesome -- which she only kinda sorta did. Kate also told Meredith Viera that she and Jon -- who both star on a reality show which documents every minute detail of their lives -- will deal with this situation in private.

Was it a Freudian slip ... or did Stephen Colbert and Meredith Viera reveal a little more than they intended this morning on "Today" when they tried to admit to have used Twitter in the past?!


Judging by the face Viera makes, we think it's pretty clear...

Meredith Vieira and our cameraman both had booty on their minds in Tampa -- but while she was thinkin' pirates, he was thinkin' strip clubs.