Great Scott! Willard Scott has tied the knot with his girlfriend Paris Keena, the Today show announced on Wednesday, April 2. The Today veteran, 80, and his longtime love said "I do" in Fort Myers, Fla., on April Fool's Day.
"By the way, we also gave some great news this morning about another surprise wedding in our family," Today co-host Matt Lauer said Wednesday. "Yesterday, Willard Scott and his longtime partner Paris Keena tied the knot."
"Willis and Paris have been together for about 11 years," Lauer added. "Congratulations to the both of you. We love you both." (Fellow cohost, Savannah Guthrie, married communications strategist Mike Feldman in Tucson, Ariz., on March 15; she's also four months pregnant with their first child.)
Scott first met his new bride when she was working for NBC's Washington affiliate, WRC, in 1977. Scott joined the Today show in 1980 as its weatherman and went into semi-retirement in 1996 after being replaced by Al Roker. He continues to appear on the network from the Fort Myers studio, WBBH, giving birthday tributes to viewers, which is sponsored by Smucker's jellies.
Scott and Keen have waited over a decade to get hitched, and it seems they are in no rush to honeymoon either. "Our whole life has been a honeymoon," Keena told Today.
Scott was previously married to Mary Dwyer from 1959 until her death in 2002. He has two daughters, Mary and Sally, and two grandchildren.