Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes have been pulled from Good Morning America’s third hour, following explosive reports saying the two news anchors have been in an intimate relationship for several months.
ABC News President Kim Godwin announced the decision Monday morning during an editorial call with staffers.
“It’s become an internal and an external distraction, the relationship between two of our colleagues,” Godwin said, a source told USA Today. “While the relationship is not a violation of company policies, I have taken the last few days to think through what I think is best for our organization. For now, I’m going to take Amy and T.J. off the air while we figure this out.”
Godwin added that the decision was “necessary for the brand,” and asked staffers to “stop the whispering in the hallways” about the matter, according to published reports.
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ABC News correspondents Gio Benitez and Stephanie Ramos will temporarily anchor the network’s 1 p.m. ET show, Godwin said.
The news comes after the Daily Mail published an article on Nov. 30, saying Holmes and Robach have been secretly dating for six months. The story included video and photos of the two spending time together around New York. One photo showed Robach, 49, and Holmes, 45, holding hands. In another picture, Holmes had his hand on Robach’s rear end.
The article said the GMA3 co-anchors have been “locked in a passionate romance despite both being married to their respective spouses for the past 12 years.”
Over the weekend, Entertainment Tonight published a story alleging Holmes had an affair with a former Good Morning America producer “that lasted for a few years” before he began dating Robach.
Robach has been married to Melrose Place actor Andrew Shue since 2010. The don’t have children together, but Robach has two children from her first marriage.
Holmes married attorney Marilee Fiebig in 2010. They share a daughter, and Holmes has two children from a previous marriage.
According to media reports, the two journalists both separated from their spouses in August.
