Amy Robach, Lara Spencer. Mediapunch/Shutterstock
Drama behind the scenes? Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes were temporarily benched from GMA3 — and an insider exclusively tells Us Weekly that Robach thinks her coworker Lara Spencer is behind the removal.
“The bosses were thrilled and giddy with the ratings on Friday, but now Amy and T.J. are suddenly off the show,” the source claims. “It’s not a delayed reaction — something happened and Amy is blaming Lara.”
Robach, 49, and Holmes, 45, made headlines on Wednesday, November 30, when the Daily Mail published photographs of the duo — who are both married to other people — getting close during several outings together. While the pair returned to host GMA3: What You Need to Know for the rest of the week, Us confirmed on Monday, December 5, that they won’t be back for the foreseeable future.
“ABC made the decision after further details came to light,” the insider tells Us, adding that Robach believes Spencer, 53, is the reason she and Holmes are temporarily off the show. According to the source, the tension dates back to late 2012, when Robin Roberts took a break from GMA while recovering from a bone marrow transplant.
“Lara was livid that Amy was seen by bosses as Robin’s heir-apparent,” the insider tells Us. “It was clear that Amy would be the one to step in. Lara wanted the gig and hasn’t ever forgotten it.”
Lara Spencer, Amy Robach. MediaPunch/Shutterstock
However, a different source insists Spencer has been one of the more caring colleagues since the scandal broke. “People have their own idea of what’s going on behind-the-scenes. Lara is supporting Amy,” the source says.
Robach joined GMA as a correspondent in 2012 before being promoted to coanchor in March 2014. One month later, Spencer was promoted to cohost of GMA along with Roberts, 62, and George Stephanopoulos.
“A key member of our on-air team, Lara Spencer, rejoined ABC three years ago — bringing her style, humor, sunny confidence, wonderful journalism and storytelling to GMA,” read an April 2014 memo sent by James Goldston, then-president of ABC News. “Lara is clearly an essential ingredient in the success we have enjoyed and I am so pleased to announce that Lara has been elevated to cohost of the program along with Robin and George.”
At the time, TMZ reported that there was tension between Robach and Spencer on set, but the duo denied feud speculation during a lunch date in New York City. “I know it’s not as sexy as the other story line, but we’ve been friends for a really long time,” Spencer told the outlet in April 2014. “I think if you look back or you’re a viewer and you watch the show, it’s just simply not true.”
While Holmes and Robach are off the air, ABC News journalists Stephanie Ramos and Gio Benitez will be filling in for them. During the Monday episode, Ramos, 40, said that her colleagues “have the day off.”