Amy Robach, T.J. Holmes temporarily off 'GMA3' due to 'distraction'
"GMA 3" co-anchors Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes did not appear on the ABC show Monday. Credit: Getty Images / Dia Dipasupil
T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach of the "Good Morning America" afternoon edition, "GMA3: What You Need to Know,” have been pulled off the ABC News program days after a tabloid published photos indicating the married co-anchors were having an affair.
Stephanie Ramos and Gio Benitez sat in place of the two Monday, with Ramos telling viewers, "Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes have the day off."
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T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach of the "Good Morning America" afternoon edition, "GMA3: What You Need to Know,” have been pulled off the ABC News program days after a tabloid published photos indicating the married co-anchors were having an affair.
Stephanie Ramos and Gio Benitez sat in place of the two Monday, with Ramos telling viewers, "Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes have the day off."
ABC News President Kim Godwin earlier that day had told editorial staff in a phone call, "It's become an internal and an external distraction, the relationship between two of our colleagues," according to an employee on the call who spoke anonymously to 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."
TMZ, similarly citing an anonymous source, quoted the statement as: "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."
Godwin additionally said, according to TMZ, "This is something … 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."
ABC News has declined to comment, and neither Holmes, 45, nor Robach, 49, have spoken publicly about the reports or the suspension.
A British tabloid website Wednesday had published numerous photos showing Robach and Holmes behaving romantically, including outside a cottage in the Shawangunk Mountain area of upstate New York and in the back of an Uber in New York City. Robach is married to actor Andrew Shue ("Melrose Place"), while Holmes is married to attorney Marilee Fiebig. The tabloid asserted that "both couples are said to have split up in August this year."