Neither Amy Robach nor TJ Holmes will be saying good morning to America anytime soon.
ABC News President Kim Godwin told staff Monday that the GMA3 co-hosts will be taking temporary leave of their retainer duties while, according to Variety, “the news division considers the effect the disclosure of their recent romantic relationship will have on the program. and company.”
Last week, photos of Robach and Holmes looking VERY snug and comfortable with each other were published by The Daily Mail.
The photos were taken while the reporters were apparently traveling together to upstate New York and they included at least one shot of Holmes touching his partner’s buttocks.
The two television personalities deleted their social media accounts in response to the scandal.
Robach’s husband, actor Andrew Shue, later deleted all references to his wife hers social media accounts after these pictures went viral.
The pair have been married since 2010 and allegedly split this summer; their divorce papers are expected to be finalized weekly now.
Holmes, for his part, shares daughter Sabine with wife Marilee Fiebig, whom he married in 2010.
He is also the father of daughter Brianna and son Jaiden with ex-wife Amy Ferson.
The anchor is in its usual place Thursday and Friday on the aforementioned Good Morning America spin-off, making no reference to their supposed relationship or the incriminating images that seem to have taken the romance away.
Sources told TMZ a few days ago that the pair were completely caught off guard by this leak — however before plan to announce that they have become a couple at some point after their marriage officially ends.
Godwin, meanwhile, told ABC News employees during an editorial call today that Robach and Holmes had not violated any company policies, according to a person familiar with the matter.
However, he indicated ABC News felt the matter had become “an internal and external distraction”, and “want to do what’s best for the organization”, according to the aforementioned Variety report.
Gio Benitez and Stephanie Ramos will co-host Monday’s broadcast, but it’s unclear what long-term plans are in place while the matter is being investigated.
“Amy and TJ have come to work pretending like everything is normal, they’ve been carrying on like any other day,” a source told Us Weekly.
“They were always playing games with each other, like two people on a date.
“Amy and TJ don’t seem to be trying to keep their relationship a secret anymore.
“Everyone around the office could tell there was a spark between them for months.”
Until recently, Robach and Holmes had remained silent about their affair.
During the Thursday, December 1 broadcast, they joked about preparing for the weekend.
The following day, Holmes quipped that he wanted their “amazing week” to “keep it going and going”, prompting Robach to joke after an awkward laugh:
“Speak for yourself.”