Why Katie Couric And Her Billionaire Ex Tom Werner Reportedly Split
Television journalist Katie Couric started dating billionaire businessman Tom Werner in 2000, two years after her husband Jay Monahan died. Per People, the pair met on a blind date set up by Couric's manager. At the time, Werner, best known for producing TV series like "Roseanne" and "The Cosby Show," was newly single, as he had recently separated from his then-wife of 28-years, Jill.
During their relationship, Werner was invested in the journalist's professional growth. The two brainstormed ideas for projects they could team up on, like a talk show akin to "Oprah" and an off-screen partnership, per The Boston Herald. Both parties even tried to meld their families, bringing along their kids on a trip in 2002. However, it reportedly flopped. "The girls made it clear they were less than thrilled at the prospect of accepting Katie and Tom as step-parents," Edward Klein's book "Katie: The Real Story" said.
The couple faced challenges in their relationship, and in October 2004, an insider told People that Couric and Werner parted ways. The two had maintained a long-distance relationship for over four years, getting together about a couple times a month. But as it turned out, they struggled to navigate that tricky aspect of their relationship.
Katie Couric and Tom Werner weren't close enough
Katie Couric just wasn't willing to go the distance. According to Edward Klein's book "Katie: The Real Story" (via The Boston Herald), the journalist felt inclined to renew her contract with "Today" instead of moving to Los Angeles so she could be with Tom Werner. As a result of the long-distance challenges, the pair decided to end their romantic relationship in 2002. "In early June Tom called Katie at her Park Avenue apartment to tell her that it was all over between them," Klein said. Per CNN, an insider close to Couric shared that the long-distance set up took a toll on the pair. A friend of Werner later explained that neither party was interested in a relationship where they couldn't be physically present with one another. "They both felt they deserved to be in a loving relationship with someone they could see every day," they shared.
Yet, that wasn't the end of it, as Werner and Couric resumed their relationship after the producer's divorce was finalized in 2004. Couric apparently had high hopes for their future and believed they'd get married soon. Yet, tying the knot just wasn't in the cards for Werner, as Klein shared, "Now that he was free to remarry, he wasn't all that sure he was ready for a new commitment." Werner ended up calling it quits for good over email, a move that Couric reportedly "never fully recovered from." Klein wrote, "It was a long message which described how Tom did not feel he could continue his relationship with her."
Katie Couric and Tom Werner found their loves later on
It took some time, but both Katie Couric and Tom Werner eventually found love again. Couric met her second husband John Molner nearly a decade later in 2012, with the pair tying the knot after a few years of dating, per People. As of 2023, the couple is still going strong. In June 2023, Molner took to Instagram to celebrate his longtime marriage to the reporter and gave her a loving shout-out. Alongside a smiling selfie of them, he wrote, "9 years! What an adventure. I'm lucky to have you in my life! Where to next?"
Meanwhile, in 2022, Werner married physician and TV correspondent Jennifer Ashton, per another People report. Upon announcing her engagement, Ashton told Good Morning America, "We're very happy and very excited and it's just a sign that good things can come out of the pandemic." While Werner has stayed private about their relationship, Ashton has gushed about her husband on numerous occasions. "I'm so happy because I never thought I'd find love like this. But when you're older, it doesn't take long to recognize when you've found your soul mate," she said.