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Knowing that the long-awaited third season of The Morning Show was just released, we’re guessing you probably can’t stop buzzing about the show’s unexpected twists and turns. And, much like season one’s speculation around how similar Matt Lauer’s scandal was to Mitch Kessler’s, you might be asking yourself the same question: did any of this happen in real life?
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And though only the Executive Producers of the show could dish on the true answer to that question, history shows that morning shows are, in fact, quite scandalous. Over the years, Good Morning America, for example, aka the most-watched morning show in the country, has been faced with backlash and scandal more often than they’d like to admit.
From Amy Robach and TJ Holmes’ shocking behind-the-scenes relationship that came to light in December 2022, to Rob Marciano’s sudden disappearance from the studio only a month earlier, check out all the biggest GMA scandals below. And, who knows, maybe these scandals might be even juicier than fiction!
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Amy Robach & TJ Holmes’ Relationship
Image Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Last year, the world was shocked when details about co-hosts Amy Robach and TJ Holmes’ relationship came to light. In December, pictures of the two getting cozy in a New York City date went viral. And, according to source, they had already been together for months by then (since covering Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, to be exact). At the time, both of them were still married. Robach was still married to her husband of 13 years, Andrew Shue, while Holmes was with his wife of 12 years, Marilee Fiebig.
Shortly after their relationship hit the headlines, the two ended their respective relationships and were let go from the network. “After several productive conversations with Amy Robach and TJ Holmes, about different options, we all agreed it’s best for everyone that they move on from ABC News,” the network said in a statement to The Independent. “We recognise their talent and commitment over the years and are thankful for their contributions.”
On a more positive note, Robach and Holmes are reportedly still together and, per Daily Mail, have even exchanged “promise rings.”
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George Stephanopoulos’ Threats to Leave GMA
Image Credit: Paula Lobo/ABC via Getty Images Much like in The Morning Show, the battle to win top anchor is quite a heated one. In early 2021, for example, GMA host George Stephanopoulos was not happy when fellow anchor David Muir was promoted and gained some chief anchor responsibilities. According to Daily Mail, an “irrate” Stephanopoulos then contacted Disney CEO Bob Iger and threatened to leave the network.
As a compromise to calm his nerves, Iger then reportedly gave the longtime host his own production company and a role producing content for Disney-owned platforms Hulu and National Geographic.
“George running to Bob to complain is truly pathetic,” a source told the outlet at the time. “There are over 500,000 Americans dead from Covid, millions of Americans out of work and this is what George has to complain about. He is truly out of touch with reality.”
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Lara Spencer’s Prince George Comments
Image Credit: Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images In 2019, while sharing some quotes from Prince William talking about his kids, Lara Spencer mocked the idea that Prince George was taking ballet classes. After chuckling, she added, “We’ll see how long that lasts.”
Shortly after the taping, dancers and non-dancers alike criticized Spencer for her bullying and misogynistic behavior. A few episodes later, she addressed the moment and apologized. “The comment I made about dance was stupid and insensitive and I am deeply sorry,” she said, per InTouch Weekly. “I spoke with several members of the dance community over the last few days. I have listened. I have learned about the bravery that it takes for a young boy to pursue a career in dance.”
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Michael Strahan’s Vacation During Hurricane Harvey
Image Credit: Paula Lobo/ABC via Getty Images In 2017, Michael Strahan found himself in a complicated situation when he chose not to return from his vacation following the destruction of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas. “ABC News asked Strahan to come home from his vacation,” sources told Page Six. “He’s from Houston. But he refused and is still floating around on a yacht in Greece somewhere. ABC is really upset with him.”
Another source added, “[We] just cannot believe he didn’t come back.”
A week after Strahan’s rep denied any tension on the subject, the host headed to Houston and led the coverage in his hometown.
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Amy Robach’s Racial Slur
Image Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images for BCRF During a segment in 2016, Amy Robach made viewers take a double-take when she used the outdated racial slur “colored people” when referring to Zendaya’s casting in Spider-Man. “We all know Hollywood has received recent and quite a bit of criticism for casting white actors in what one might assume should be a role reserved for colored people,” she said.
Unsurprisingly, viewers were not happy with Robach’s insensitive choice of words. Soon after, Robach apologized adding that she meant to use the modern term “people of color” and that it was a “mistake.” “[This is] not at all a reflection of how I feel or speak in my everyday life,” she said in her statement, per Daily Beast.
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Rob Marciano’s Alleged Anger Issues
Image Credit: Paula Lobo/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Last year, GMA‘s resident weatherman Rob Marciano was reportedly “banned” from the network’s Times Square studio. “He was found to have done something that was improper, but he was punished for it, and they still haven’t let him return,” a source revealed to Page Six.
“He made people feel uncomfortable,” another source added, noting that his recent divorce had led to some anger management issues. “There was a period where there were some issues, a number of alarming events.”
Despite the reported ban, Marciano has continued working for the network and just recently announced a change in his role. “I’ll continue doing what I’m doing, contributing across all ABC show and platforms Mon-Fri, while getting more quality time with my kiddos,” he wrote on Instagram.
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Robin Roberts’ Mississippi Affliation
Image Credit: Lou Rocco/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images In 2016, host Robin Roberts got some heat after being named the new spokesperson for the Mississippi tour guide. The cover happened to be at the same time as the state passed a series of anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Unsurprisingly, fans of Roberts, who is a lesbian, criticized her for the affiliation with the state.
“Last year well before recent events, I was interviewed and photographed to be on the cover of Mississippi’s official state tourism publication,” Roberts later told Advocate in response. “My longtime partner, Amber, and I have always felt welcomed in my home state, and it hurts my soul to think of anyone not feeling welcome.”
“I’m proud that my beloved mother and father taught me as a child growing up in Mississippi to focus on the many things we all have in common, not our few differences,” she continued. “And what we all deserve to have in common is the right to be treated equally.”
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Michael Corn’s Alleged Misconduct
Image Credit: Paula Lobo/ABC via Getty Images In 2021, longtime producer of the show Michael Corn abruptly left the show. Shortly after, a former staffer and producer, Kirstyn Crawford, sued Corn and accused him of sexual assault and creating a toxic workplace environment, per The List. In the lawsuit, Crawford alleges that Corn attempted to kiss her and rub her legs during a work trip in 2015.
A year later, a New York judge dismissed the case because the 3-year statute of limitations had passed. Corn went on to become the President of News for NewsNation.
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