By Jen Heger - Breaking Celebrity News Assistant Managing Editor

Matt Lauer is standing by his embattled TODAY show co-host Savannah Guthrie, despite a major ratings crisis, Breaking Celebrity News is exclusively reporting.

"Matt is absolutely standing by Savannah despite the fact that Good Morning America has routinely been beating the TODAY show in the ratings. Matt believes that the audience just needs to get comfortable and familiar with Savannah, and viewers will return to the show that had been counted on by the execs at NBC as ratings gold," a source close to the situation tells us.

"Matt, Savannah and fellow cast member Natalie Morales are all extremely close and have been referred as the Three Musketeers. They often go to press movie screenings and can often be found in Matt's office discussing stories and just goofing off. Matt has a very adoring female fan club in Natalie and Savannah," the insider added.

As Breaking Celebrity News previously reported, in the days after Curry was sacked from her co-host gig on the TODAY show, Angelina Jolie reached out to the veteran journalist and told her if NBC wanted an interview with her, or fiance Brad Pitt, it would be conducted by Curry, and definitely not any of the current cast of the embattled morning news program.

"Angelina reached out to Ann Curry after she was fired from her gig on the TODAY show and was very clear, if ANY news program from NBC wants an interview with her, or Brad, Ann will be the only one to do it. Angelina has tremendous respect for Ann because of the work she has done on bringing awareness to Darfur. Ann has developed a professional relationship with Angelina and Brad, and they trust her implicitly because of her integ