NBC Airs Premier Thanksgiving Parade since Matt Lauer's dismissal

Macy's iconic Thanksgiving parade looked a little different this year.

On Thursday, NBC aired its annual Thanksgiving parade from 9 am to 12 pm, in the heart of New York, but the team's Today & # 39; hui The stars of the show anchoring the festivities were of course Matt Lauer. Instead, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker took over to offer spectators a show of floats and several musical performances.

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The event marked the first Thanksgiving parade for a long time Today & # 39; hui show, 60, was fired by NBC for alleged sexual misconduct. The news of his ousting broke out overnight, on November 29th.

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In the following months, Lauer kept a low profile, moving from New York to the Hamptons compound where his wife, Annette Roque, also resides. The couple separated as a result of his dismissal and stayed away from work while he was divorcing.

A source told PEOPLE earlier this year that Lauer "is not currently planning a return to television", instead focusing on his three children from Roque: sons Jack, 17, and Thijs, 11, and their daughter Romy, 15 years old.

"Matt does not have many contacts with his friends anymore," the source said. "He stays close to home and stays very low, focusing all his energy on the kids. If it comes out, it's for them. He supports the events of his children. "

"The divorce is not final, but they are still ongoing and it should be finalized before too long," the source added. "They are still working on asset allocation, even if nothing is final."

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As for his former colleagues? Former Lauer co-presenter Guthrie, 46, told PEOPLE in September that she had not seen him since her separation, although she tries to "keep in touch with the text".

"I think that, as far as I know, he is really focused on his children and his family," she said.

Reflecting on the scandal, Guthrie said, "All this has been an adjustment."

"The past year has been so deep in our sector, in all sectors," she said. "It's something I'm trying not to overemphasize because I did not know it would be very productive, but everyone knows how sad, sorry and shocked I am, and I hope everyone knows how grateful I am now to Hoda as a partner. "(Kotb, 54, officially replaced Lauer in January.)

"It's a change, of course. It was not an easy change, but I feel really lucky that we are where we are, "she added. "I think the show is in a very good place. It is a testimony to all the people who work so hard behind the scenes and for the enduring goodness of this show – that he can stand even something that was so difficult. "