ABC News Punts Anchors For Romance
ABC News removed GMA3 anchors, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, from their duties hosting the afternoon news program after the pair disclosed a romantic relationship. Variety reports that on Monday, ABC News President Kim Godwin informed staff that the pair would be removed temporarily for creating an “internal and external disruption.” Gio Benitez and Stephanie Ramos stepped in to host the network’s Monday broadcast, though there is no word on how long Robach and Holmes will be removed from the program.
GMA3 is an off-shoot of the award-winning Good Morning America program, which was originally hosted by Michael Strahan and Sara Haines, as a light-hearted celebrity news program. After the Covid pandemic in 2020, ABC changed focus, developing the program into a mix of entertainment and inspirational news segments. Robach was one of the original anchors for the newly retooled GMA3, while Holmes was hired a few months later.
While the two anchors have, according to ABC, not violated any company policies, the corporation is still dealing with the blowback from two anchors having an affair. T.J. Holmes was married to attorney Marilee Fiebig, with whom he has one daughter, though his wife filed for separation when the story was first being reported by The Daily Mail. Amy Robach was married to Melrose Place star Andrew Shue, brother of CSI and The Boys star Elisabeth Shue, with whom she has a blended family of five children.
News of the affair first came, as mentioned, from The Daily Mail, late last month. When contacted to provide comment, an ABC News spokesperson allegedly contacted Robach, who denied everything. After that, the U.K.-based tabloid published an explosive report, complete with photos of the married co-anchors cuddling and holding hands. Known to have a close relationship, the pair even ran the New York marathon together, though everyone, from co-workers to family, was under the assumption that it was a platonic relationship.
Co-workers deciding to embark on a romantic relationship is not unique to ABC News, fellow news show co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, also became romantic after working together. The Morning Joe couple married in 2018, though rumors alleged that the two started an affair eight years earlier. Co-workers developing a bond that becomes a romantic relationship is nothing new, seeing the same people day in and day out can lend itself to feelings developing, as almost everyone expects out of Hollywood.
In an amazing coincidence, though none of these couples were embroiled in an affair, co-workers dating has happened 100% of the time with Spider-Man movies. Every actor that plays Peter Parker, has started dating their romantic interest, Toby Maguire and Kirstin Dunst, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, even to the most recent movies with Tom Holland and Zendaya. While ABC’s canoodling co-hosts are currently making their own headlines, illicit office romance is a tale as old as time.
ABC has, notably, not fired either anchor yet and is instead keeping them in the journalism dog house for the foreseeable future. GMA3 was supposed to be a low-maintenance program that was specifically attractive to advertisers. It will be interesting to see how ABC responds with their $40 million program embroiled in a torrid love affair.
