T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach of “GMA3” are leaving ABC News, the network announced on Friday evening, capping off a nearly two-month tabloid circus sparked by revelations that the co-hosts were romantically involved.
Their departures put an end to weeks of speculation within ABC about what would happen to the anchors, who were abruptly removed from the air in early December.
“We all agreed it’s best for everyone that they move on from ABC News after several productive conversations with Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes about different options,” the network said in a statement. “We appreciate their talent and dedication over the years and are grateful for their contributions.”
The network did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the anchors’ departure. On Thursday, representatives from the anchors and the network entered mediation, and talks continued into Friday.
Ms. Robach’s and Mr. Holmes’ representatives declined to comment.
The departure of the anchors, who were previously regarded as rising stars with the potential to take over the network’s flagship show, “Good Morning America,” is yet another setback for ABC News. Last week, Cecilia Vega, the network’s chief White House correspondent, announced that she was leaving for a correspondent role at “60 Minutes” on CBS.
Mr. Holmes and Ms. Robach’s on-air chemistry had been a staple of their early-afternoon talk show. However, their careers were shattered in late November when The Daily Mail revealed that the anchors, who were both married, had been having an affair.
ABC News initially took no action. Mr. Holmes and Ms. Robach continued to anchor, even alluding to the media’s interest in their relationship on the air. Kim Godwin, the president of ABC News, did not comment on the growing scandal during two internal meetings following The Daily Mail’s initial report.
Five days after that report, Ms. Godwin abruptly informed her staff that she was pulling the anchors from the air. In an editorial call, Ms. Godwin said that while the anchors’ relationship did not amount to a violation of company policy, the episode had become a “internal and external distraction.
At the time, a representative for the anchors stated that their relationship had started “a few months” before and that they had both divorced their spouses in August. The representative said Mr. Holmes and Ms. Robach had not told anyone at ABC about their relationship “because they were waiting until they both were divorced.
In the weeks that followed, ABC News journalists were left in the dark as the network’s leadership remained silent on the future of both anchors. Meanwhile, a steady stream of articles about the scandal appeared in gossip magazines. Mr. Holmes and Ms. Robach’s possible departure from the network was first reported by TMZ on Friday.
In 2018, “GMA3,” a syndicated spinoff of “Good Morning America,” debuted. Ms. Robach, who has been with ABC News since 2012, and Mr. Holmes, who has been with the network since 2014, will co-host the show in 2020.