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Since news they were taken off air, Good Morning America viewers have wondered: Why are Amy Robach and TJ Holmes leaving GMA and where are they now after their cheating scandal?
Robach and Holmes are two of several on-air personalities on ABC’s morning news show, Good Morning America, alongside anchors like Cecilia Vega, George Stephanopoulos, Michael Strahan, Lara Spencer and Ginger Zee. Robach joined Good Morning America as a correspondent in 2012 before becoming an anchor in 2014. Holmes joined as an anchor for ABC News in 2014 and served as a correspondent for Good Morning America when news broke overnight. In 2020, Holmes joined as a co-anchor on Good Morning America‘s GMA3: What You Need To Know program, which she co-hosts with Holmes and Jennifer Ashton.
In November 2022, after more than seven years of working together on Good Morning America, news broke that Robach and Holmes were dating and had an affair while still married to their spouses, actor Andrew Shue and lawyer Marilee Fiebig. A week later, ABC News executives announced in an internal call that Robach and Holmes had been taken off the air as a result of the scandal. So…why are Amy Robach and TJ Holmes leaving GMA? Here’s why Amy Robach and TJ Holmes left GMA and what happened to them after their rumored affair.
Are Amy Robach and TJ Holmes leaving GMA?
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Are Amy Robach and TJ Holmes leaving GMA after their affair? The answer is yes. ABC News confirmed on January 27, 2023, that Robach and Holmes were no longer anchors on GMA 3: What You Need to Know after their affair. The network also confirmed that Robach was also no longer a host of 20/20. “After several productive conversations with Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes about different options, we all agreed it’s best for everyone that they move on from ABC News. We recognize their talent and commitment over the years and are thankful for their contributions,” an ABC News spokesperson said in a statement at the time. “A decision for new co-hosts [of GMA3 and 20/20] will come later.”
Prior to ABC News’ confirmation, Us Weekly reported on January 13, 2023, that Robach and Holmes were officially leaving GMA 3: What You Need to Know. “Amy and T.J are out, a decision has been made,” a source told Us Weekly at the time. “The network is negotiating with them on their exit deals and an announcement.”
Page Six also reported on January 27, 2023, that, while Robach and Holmes had yet to sign anything, an exit agreement was in the works. “They have not finished mediation — but, yes, that will be conclusion,” the insider said. The source continued, “Unless ABC reaches a satisfactory departure agreement with both Amy and T.J., they would both be looking at filing lawsuits against the network.” TMZ also confirmed on January 27, 2023, that Robach and Holmes were out at GMA3 and ABC News after an “extremely contentious” mediation, which one source referred to as a “witch hunt.” Along with Robach and Holmes’ alleged affair, TM reported that ABC News also accused Robach of having alcohol in her dressing room, which was a violation in policy. A source called the accusation “ridiculous,” noting that the alcohol was gifted to Robach by an ABC News executives who had sent other on-air talent liquor as well. TMZ also reported that the company accused Robach of attending a College National Championship Game in 2022 and coming to GMA3 the next day drunk. The source called the accusation “insane” and claimed that Robach was simply tired. As for their affair, ABC News claimed that Robach and Holmes waited too long to disclose their relationship to the company and their “behavior on set” was “uncomfortable” for staff.
A source told Page Six on January 13, 2023 that Robach and Holmes had “hired lawyers to deal with” negotiating their exit packages. “They have not been terminated yet, but I don’t expect T.J. to be on again,” the insider said at the time. “They do want Amy to stay and be a part of things there, but likely not on GMA3.” According to TMZ, Robach hired lawyer Andrew Brettler to represent her, while Holmes hired lawyer Eric George. Both Brettler and George have represented celebrity cases before. Sources told TMZ that ABC News never told Robach and Holmes why they were taken off the air in November 2022 and that the two were “confused” and “frustrated” given that ABC News executives allegedly told other staffers there would be “no disciplinary action” for the situation.
Sources also told TMZ that both Robach and Holmes were ready to sue ABC News, and that one of the suits involved race. TMZ reported that Robach and Holmes’ lawyers planned to ask ABC News, “Has ABC ever used the morals or conduct clause to fire or discipline 2 consenting adults at equal levels when both were white?” According to TMZ, Robach and Holmes planned to seek damages from ABC News if their reputation and careers were ruined as a result of the network. Sources also told TMZ that Robach and Holmes didn’t think they did anything wrong other than not informing ABC News of their relationship in a timely fashion, to which sources say, “Are you supposed to inform your boss when you catch feelings?”
Other sources also confirmed to TMZ in January 2023 that Robach and Holmes were in mediation with ABC News and that race was an issue of discussion. According to TMZ, the mediation started after ABC News told Robach and Holmes that the network did not want them working together if they did return. TMZ also reported that Robach told ABC News that she would not receive a harsher punishment for Holmes than her own. TMZ also confirmed that ABC News hadn’t started looking for Holmes and Robach’s replacements yet at the time.
Another source also told Page Six in January 2023 that Robach and Holmes had been at “war” with ABC News ever since their mediation started. “There could be a couple of days of back and forth,” the insider said. A second source revealed that ABC News was investigating the leaks about Holmes and Robach’s employment status. “No one is sharing any information [about the investigation] because they’re afraid of people leaking,” the insider said. A fourth source told Page Six that Robach and Holmes’ former co-workers were split on their return. “Half would love to see them back. Half would love to see them go,” the insider said.
A source also denied to Entertainment Tonight in early January 2023 that Robach and Holmes had been formally fired at the time “The investigation involving Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes’ relationship is still ongoing,” the insider said. “There is still no clear determination as to when the findings will be released, especially with the constant accusations being tossed T.J.’s way, and higher ups want to make sure all accusations are being addressed and taken seriously.”
The source continued, “That being said, it is business as usual for everyone at ABC. Everything has returned to normal as it can be at this time, but there is still an unsettling feeling in the air. No one knows where the investigation will lead or what Amy or T.J.’s fates ultimately will be. Everyone just wants this investigation wrapped up soon so that the production and all involved can finally move on.” The source added, “Amy and T.J. are going on with their daily lives as best they can. The reality is they’re on leave until a final decision is made and can do as they please until then.”
A source told Us Weekly on January 5, 2023, that the staff at Good Morning America believe that Robach and Holmes would be demoted or leave ABC. “The cast and crew are not on their side,” the insider said, adding that the staff feels “betrayed.” “They believe they won’t come back — that they will be demoted or leave ABC altogether.” The source also revealed that some staff members don’t want Robach and Holmes to come back because of how they handled their romance before it went public. “Some on set are saying they can’t come back because it’s not fair. Those who knew something was going on feel they were keeping a secret they shouldn’t have been keeping,” the insider said. The source continued, “Amy and T.J. think their romance should not have to do with [their] jobs because they have done so well for ABC over the years,” the insider continues.
ABC News president Kim Godwin announced in an internal call on December 5, 2022, the pair had been taken off the air and would no longer host their daily 1 p.m. show, GMA3: What You Need to Know “After a lot of thought I am taking Amy and T.J. off the air as we figure this out,” Godwin said, according to Page Six. Godwin explained that, while the affair was “not a violation of company policy,” the decision to take Robach and Holmes off air was necessary for the Good Morning America brand. Godwin told staff that ABC News felt like Robach and Holmes had become “an internal and external disruption” and “wanted to do what’s best for the organization,” according to Variety.
Godwin continued, “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. This is something I’m not going to talk, 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.” She added, “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.” Stephanie Ramos and Gio Benitez replaced at the time Robach and Holmes as hosts. Sources told TMZ that Robach and Holmes weren’t told about the decision to take them off the air until that morning.
A week later, on December 12, 2022, Godwin sent an email to staffers confirming that Robach and Holmes would remain off air until the internal investigation was completed. “As we start this new week together, I want to take a moment to address the on-going matter involving GMA3 anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach. I understand that the continuing coverage can be distracting from the incredibly important work our team does here at ABC News,” read the email, which was obtained by Page Six. She also announced that a “rotation of anchors” would replace Robach and Holmes on GMA3 until the investigation was completed. “Amy and T.J. will remain off-air pending the completion of an internal review, and there will be a rotation of anchors at GMA3 for the time being,” the email continued. The email concluded, “It is my hope that we will continue to focus our energy on what we do best, and I want all of you to know how immensely proud I am of your hard work and professionalism.”
A source told Us Weekly at the time that ABC News wanted “all the information” about Robach and Holmes’ relationship before bringing them back on the air. “T.J. and Amy are not on camera currently because ABC wants to make sure it’s able to do a full review of their relationship before bringing them back on air,” the insider said. “ABC is putting resources in so there are no surprises and they have all the information they can before deciding how to proceed.” Another source confirmed the same details to People. “There are no suspensions here at all,” the the insider said. “The network is just gathering information at this time. They’re investigating the relationship and understanding the details before figuring out what’s next.” Another source also told Us Weekly on December 21, 2022, that ABC News is investigating when and how Robach and Holmes’ relationship started. “Amy and T.J. will remain off air until ABC completes an internal review of their relationship,” the insider said, noting the network is looking into “when it started, how it started, did it take place at work [and] if it was distracting to the staff.” The source continued, “The investigation is trying to find out what staff saw before it was exposed in the media.”
A source told The Sun on December 1, 2022, that Robach and Holmes could’ve been demoted on Good Morning America as a result of their affair. “There is no way they are going to be able to stay at GMA,” the insider said. “They may not be outright fired, but they’ll be relegated to lesser roles, which will make it undesirable for them to continue.” The Sun also reported that Robach and Holmes’ affair may have also broken a “morality clause,” which states that talent must “act at all times with due regard to public morals and conventions,” according to a copy of the document obtained by the newspaper. The clause also stated that talent shall not take part in behavior “which tends to bring you or us into public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule….or which might reflect unfavorably upon us, or injure the success of the programs.” The clause continued, “We may terminate this Agreement upon notice to within thirty (30) days after we acquire knowledge thereof.”
A source also confirmed to Page Six on December 1, 2022, that Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, which owns ABC, learned of Robach and Holmes’ relationship on November 29, 2022, a day before it became public.“Bob Iger was notified about the affair on Tuesday, and he has been in close contact with ABC News president Kim Godwin,” the source said. “Their decision is a ‘watch and wait’ approach.” The insider continued, “Amy and T.J. are peers, they — quite obviously — have great chemistry on TV. They are both separated from their spouses. They are free to be a couple.” The source also added, “In some ways, this is TV gold, but let’s just hope they don’t break up.”
How did Amy Robach and TJ Holmes’ affair start?
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How did Amy Robach and TJ Holmes’ affair start? Page Six reported on November 30, 2022, that Good Morning America hosts, Amy Robach and TJ Holmes, left their spouses in August 2022 after a months-long affair. Robach was married to actor Andrew Shue since 2010, while Holmes was married to lawyer Marilee Fiebig since 2010. A source told Page Six at the time that Robach and Holmes’ affair started in March 2022 after they began training together for the New York City Marathon, which they were photographed together at on November 6, 2022, less than three weeks before news broke of their affair. A source told People on December 1, 2022, that their romance started when Holmes helped Robach through a past “heartache” she was experiencing. “Amy was going through a heartache and TJ was very much there for her and helpful, and that is when they started something,” the insider said.
A source also told People on December 5, 2022, that Robach and Holmes had always been close, and that Robach’s daughter was even Holmes’ daughter’s babysitter. “Everyone knew they were close friends and had good chemistry. She was going through a lot. There was a point at which, several years ago, another GMA cast member had sort of made a joke with T.J. about how close he was with Amy and he was very embarrassed,” the source said. “They had each gone through different things and people knew it was a friendship.” “They joked how good their chemistry was, but they shut it down and made it clear they were each going through their own stuff and there was nothing between them.” The insider added, “She and T.J. just did things together all the time. Her daughter babysat for his daughter. They were open about it. Their lives were intertwined because of work and they were best friends, so when their marriages ended, he was there for her and it was a very natural transition.”
Page Six reported that the GMA hosts were seen “canoodling” in bars near ABC News’ office in New York City in May 2022. “They have a very cozy relationship on air, but that is what is expected. But they were very careful behind the scenes to keep their affair secret. The producers at GMA are shocked to hear they are having an affair,” a source told Page Six at the time. The Daily Mail also reported that rumors of Robach and Holmes’ affair first sparked in June 2022 “when they were in London together filming the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee for ABC and staff were buzzing about the intimacy between them,” a source said. The insider added, “Everyone knows that Amy and T.J. have been close friends for a long time now, running together and even socializing as a foursome with each other’s spouses.” People also reported that many ABC News staffers, including the head of ABC News, Kim Godwin, knew of Robach and Holmes’ affair before it went public. “[It was] the worst kept secret in ABC News,” the source said. “”They had no shame going out together and have been publicly doing this for much longer than a month. Staffers are very surprised it took this long to come out. Everyone was turning a blind eye because they didn’t want the controversy surrounding the show.” Another insider told People that Robach and Holmes’ relationship was “widely known” by Good Morning America employees, so much so that they were told to “knock off” their flirty behavior before their relationship became public. “There were so many people internally that were unhappy about it,” the insider said. “They were flirtatious.”
Another source also told People at the time that there were rumors of an affair between Robach and Holmes in 2021, a year before their relationship became public. “There were rumors they were having an affair about a year ago,” the source said. “A lot of people believed there might have been some truth to it, because you can see there’s a mutual affection there. But everyone ultimately chalked it up to friendship because they always said they were both happily married.” Another source, however, denied the affair to People at the time and claimed that Robach and Holmes’ romance didn’t start until after they separated from their spouses. “This was two consenting adults who were each separated. They both broke up with their spouses in August within weeks of each other,” the insider said. “The relationship didn’t start until after that.” The source continued, “She’s got nothing to hide. They were both separated so they felt very comfortable dating in the open after that. Their spouses had moved out, even! So they were not hiding anything.”
Robach restricted comments on her Instagram around November 2022 when fans noticed she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring in photos and hadn’t posted her husband for a while. Both Robach and Holmes have since deleted their Instagram accounts.
News broke of Robach and Holmes’ affair on November 30, 2022, after The Daily Mail published photos of the GMA hosts at O’Donoghue’s Irish Bar in New York City, near where Robach and Holmes film Good Morning America, where they were seen flirting with each other on November 10, 2022. A source told The Daily Mail at the time that Robach and Holmes went to the pair after filming a daily pre-recorded segment of Good Morning America. The Daily Mail reported that Robach and Holmes left ABC Studios separately and walked alone to the bar, where they reunited at a far corner in the restaurant. “They were totally into each other. She was giggling at whatever he was saying, and they were looking at each other’s phones. At one point she was kind of dancing in her chair to the music and laughing so hard she practically fell into his lap,” a source told The Daily Mail at the time. When they left, Robach stood about 20 feet away from Holmes on the sidewalk as he called an Uber. When the Uber, Robach and Holmes got in together and rode to Holmes’ downtown Manhattan apartment, where Robach was not seen leaving.
The next day, Holmes was seen leaving his apartment with a backpack and duffle bag. He was also seen going to a restaurant near Robach’s West Village apartment after they filmed their morning segment of Good Morning America. After he ate alone at the restaurant, Holmes walked around the corner and repeatedly looked over his shoulder before continuing up the block, where Robach was waiting to pick him up in her blue BMW convertible, according to The Daily Mail. Robach and Holmes then drove two hours north to the city of Shawangunk Mountains, New York, where they checked into a remote cottage on the edge of Minnewaska State Park, where they brought their own food to cook and wine and beer to drink.
When they left, Holmes could be seen grabbing and patting Robach’s butt as she bent over to load their bags and their leftover food and drinks into her car. Days later, while recording a segment on robes without Holmes for Good Morning America on November 16, 2022, Robach referenced her co-host’s love for robes. “I wish TJ was here,” Good Morning America contributor Tory Johnson said during the segment, to which Robach responded, “He loves his robes. He walks around the hallways with them.” A day later, on November 17, 2022, Holmes and Robach were seen again at New York University Langone, where Holmes was seen leaving with Robach and her best friend, who walked Robach’s golden doodle, Brody, while Holmes stayed in Robach’s apartment with her, according to The Daily Mail.
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Image: Ballantine Books.
For more about Amy Robach, read her 2015 memoir, Better: How I Let Go of Control, Held On to Hope, and Found Joy in My Darkest Hour. The book, which became a New York Times bestseller, takes readers through Robach’s journey with breast cancer, with started in September 2013 when she had an on-air mammogram on Good Morning America to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month and was officially diagnosed with breast cancer three weeks later. The book also recounts the moment Robach and her husband at the time, Andrew Shue, learned of her diagnosis, how they told their two young daughters and the bilateral mastectomy and six months of chemotherapy treatments that followed to save her life. Robach
“lays bare the emotional toll of her experience and mines her past for the significant moments that gave her the resilience to face each day. And she describes the incredible support network that lifted her when she hit bottom,” reads the publisher’s description.
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