Recent years have seen Good Morning America’s third hour fronted by the charismatic duo of T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach, and the current news cycle has been partially focused on the pair having engaged in a romantic relationship after quietly splitting from their respective spouses. The news of their lengthy tryst was complicated not only by the decision to remove them from on-air duties, despite both returning to the anchor chairs without issue in the days immediately following the semi-scandalous reveals, but also by more rumors and affair allegations coming to light.
Let’s take a look at one of the latest higher-profile rumors, as well as how a crisis management professional thinks this situation would have played out much differently if Holmes and Robach were hosting a morning show on a different network.
A Third Workplace Romance For T.J. Holmes?
T.J. Holmes, who reportedly separated from wife Marilee Fiebig over the summer, was alleged to have had another GMA-centric relationship before Amy Robach, as it was reported he carried on an affair with a producer who vacated the morning TV staple back in 2017. Now, Entertainment Tonight has revealed sources claiming Holmes had yet another romance happening behind the scenes, and that this unidentified third woman no longer works for ABC. Further details surrounding that alleged affair are yet to be divulged.
It's also noted by ET that Holmes' alleged fling with the producer is why Marilee Fiebig supposedly became suspicious of him and Robach's friendship while vacationing together in the Bahamas earlier this year. Specifically, the birthday card that Robach gave to Holmes was reportedly "way too familiar," which is said to have brought up memories of their troubled past.
Why T.J. Holmes And Amy Robach Would Likely Have Fared Better With Different Network
To date, GMA3 is still without T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach behind the anchor desk, which has sparked more than a few questions about why it remains the case, when disciplinary actions reportedly haven’t been deemed necessary, given their behavior on the set and on-camera is said to have always been entirely professional. Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, has spoken on the matter, pointing to Disney’s idealized squeaky-clean reputation as being the cause for their extended hiatus. Speaking with Fox News, Schiffer stated his belief that Holmes and Robach wouldn’t have dealt with the same setback if they were employed by a network other than ABC. In his words:
They're known for a certain standard of moral conduct. I think Amy and T.J.’s careers are likely asphyxiated at Disney and Good Morning America. I think had they been at a different network, they may have continued on. In fact, the ratings may have been of even better.
Those thoughts are obviously meant to be taken with a grain of salt, since it’s doubtful any Disney higher-ups will publicly cite value systems as being the reason why GMA3 still doesn’t have its usual hosts back. Producers and execs are reportedly trying to figure out the next step, which may very well just come down to waiting for the buzz to die down. Other than that, it’s not clear how else ABC can resolve things, barring Holmes and/or Robach voluntarily resigning. Here’s hoping that won’t be the case, however.
For now, GMA3: What You Need To Know airs weekday mornings with fill-in anchors on ABC at 1:00 p.m. ET. Head to our 2022 TV schedule and our 2023 premiere guide to see what’ll be hitting the small screen as we wait to see how the Holmes and Robach situation plays out.
