ABC Scrambling to Find Successors for 'Good Morning America' as Axed Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Were the 'Primary Replacements': Insiders
The ABC network is reportedly feeling the pressure when it comes to finding new talent that will become the future faces of the brand.
According to a news outlet, the lack of candidates is somewhat due to the fact that there's been no head of talent for almost two years. However, one source said the company dug their own grave, as previously axed T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach were once the frontrunners to become their lead stars.
The outlet said the couple — who was fired from their GMA3 co-hosting gig in January 2023 after their scandalous romance was uncovered in late 2022 — were the only people capable of filling the shoes of Robin Roberts, 63, George Stephanopoulos, 63, and Michael Strahan, 52.
"Losing them at GMA 3 wasn’t the point. They were the primary replacements for Good Morning America! That was their real value," the source explained. "Michael, George and Robin take 70 to 80 days off a year. You don’t get rid of people like that so quickly."
The source acknowledged that ABC still has a few "good correspondents, but they’re not stars."
While Linsey Davis was recently applauded for her gig co-hosting the 2024 presidential debate on Tuesday, September 10, "Linsey is not going to be the host of GMA," one insider stated.
"She can easily be David [Muir's] replacement,” the source added.
An additional insider said of the situation: "It makes no sense that they still haven’t hired a No. 1 and a No. 2 [in the talent department]. They have people who are good, but they don’t have the experience to deal with high-caliber talent."
As OK! reported, Robach, 51, and Holmes, 47, were fired from their ABC spots after their relationship was revealed — however, they insisted that despite what it looked like, they were already in the midst of their respective divorces when they got together and did not cheat.
- Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Feel 'Vindicated' After ABC Struggles to Find Top-Tier Talent: 'It's Karma'
- 7 Things to Know About ABC Anchor David Muir Who Moderated the Harris-Trump Presidential Debate
- Amy Robach Claims She 'Never Heard' From Most of Her ABC Colleagues After She and T.J. Holmes Were Fired Over Their Romance
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After being ousted from their jobs, the duo has tried to clear their names via their joint podcast, "Amy & T.J." — though they've yet to make a return to television.
Even if ABC made a shocking move by groveling for their return, there's a good chance the pair would reject an offer, as the mom-of-two revealed on a June podcast episode that she "never heard from people again" when she was fired.
Holmes understood why their former colleagues gave them the cold shoulder, noting, "Everybody’s trying to hold on to their job. They don’t want to be seen as being an ally of two people that ABC News doesn’t like."
Nonetheless, they did share that Strahan reached out to them and offered his support in the wake of the drama.
Page Six reported on the situation at ABC.