Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes were absent from Monday’s “Good Morning America” broadcast after the co-anchors were recently accused of cheating on their spouses with each other.
ABC News correspondents Gio Benitez and Stephanie Ramos filled in for Robach and Holmes during the latest edition of “GMA 3: What You Need to Know” opposite regular co-host Jennifer Ashton. The episode aired just days after Page Six reported that Robach, 49, and Holmes, 45 — both married, to other people — had been engaged in “an alleged months-long affair,” and the Daily Mail published photos of the co-workers getting intimate with each other in New York City.
“Good afternoon and welcome everybody to ‘What You Need to Know’ on this Monday,” Ramos said at the top of the show. “Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes have the day off.”
ABC News President Kim Godwin informed her staff Monday on an editorial call that Robach and Holmes would be temporarily taken off the air as the network determines how to handle the in-house scandal rocking the broadcast journalism world.
“I want to say that while that relationship is not a violation of company policy, I have really taken the last few days to think about and work through what I think is best for the ABC News organization,” Godwin said on the call.
“These decisions are not easy, they’re not knee-jerk, but they are necessary for the brand and for our priority … the people here at ABC. … I’m asking that we stop the whispering in the hallways. You know, we can’t operate with gossip and speculation and rumors. We need to stay focused on the work.”
Some outlets have reported that Holmes and Robach separated from their respective spouses — attorney Marilee Fiebig and actor Andrew Shue — nearly a year after the alleged affair commenced. Others reports have stated that the co-anchors had already separated from their spouses before they began seeing each other.
Holmes and Robach have deactivated their Instagram accounts and remained silent since the initial headlines and photos surfaced. The newscasters have not responded to The Times’ requests for comment.
The Times obtained a copy of the transcript of the call to ABC News staff. Read Godwin’s remarks below.
Good morning ABC News. Always good to hear your guys’ voices.
Listen, I’m going to start this morning, I’m going to talk about something that has become an internal and an external distraction. The relationship between two of our colleagues.
And so, I want to say that while that relationship is not a violation of company policy, I have really taken the last few days to think about and work through what I think is best for the ABC News organization.
And so, for now, I am going to take Amy and T.J. off the air, while we figure this out.
These decisions are not easy, they’re not knee-jerk, but they are necessary for the brand and for our priority which, you guys know, are all of us — the people here at ABC. …
We’re not going to talk about on this call until there is more to be said. I’m asking that we stop the whispering in the hallways. You know, we can’t operate with gossip, and speculation and rumors. We need to stay focused on the work.
If you think there is something that management needs to know, you can always call HR or, as we’ve said, talk to a manager that you trust. If you think there is something that we need to know.
But outside of that, I really do want to remind you what kind of organization we are. We are kind, we are inclusive, we are respectful and we are transparent and we are focused on the work.
So, I appreciate you, I appreciate your professionalism as we move through this together. And let’s continue to just focus on the incredible work we’re continuing to do here at ABC News.
Today, it will be Gio and Stephanie Ramos doing ‘GMA3.’ And, we’ll take it from there. That’s who’s anchoring the show today.