Why Amy Robach Exited GMA And ABC With More Money Than T.J. Holmes

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the futures of former GMA3 co-hosts Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, after the exposure of their romantic relationship led to the couple eventually parting ways with ABC News. While reports indicate the anchors may have to let the dust settle a bit before trying to get hired on somewhere else, that may be just fine for the lovebirds, who supposedly negotiated for “nice” severance packages during mediation with their former employer. That’s especially true for Robach, who reportedly received a bigger settlement than her paramour, and there’s apparently a reason for that.

Amy Robach had been a member of ABC News since 2012, contributing to Good Morning America before joining David Muir as co-anchor on 20/20 in 2018 and landing the co-hosting spot on GMA3 during the pandemic in 2020. Her tenure with the network, in addition to her high-profile positions, contributed to her receiving more severance money, an insider told PageSix:

T.J. Holmes joined the network just two years after Amy Robach — in 2014 — but held lower-profile positions ahead of snagging the GMA3 co-anchor spot aside his would-be partner.

PageSix also previously reported that during ABC’s lengthy investigation into the couple’s potential contract violations, they apparently tried to dig into Amy Robach’s past to find any negative details, which may have allowed them to offer her a lower payout. However, only “minor” transgressions could be found, according to the source.

The same might not have been true for T.J. Holmes, as rumors of at least two other workplace affairs surfaced after his romance with Amy Robach went public. It’s unknown how his past behavior affected his exit agreement with ABC — if it did at all — and another PageSix source said it was likely the duo simply received what they would have made over the rest of the time in their contracts. They also reportedly may have received more money if they agreed to sign nondisclosure agreements.

Whatever the terms of the agreements were, T.J. Holmes didn’t seem too concerned about his finances when he was seen purchasing a $650 gold ring ahead of Amy Robach’s 50th birthday on February 6 — seemingly putting to rest speculation that the couple’s relationship might be “suffocating” from all the drama. Holmes also bought a gold chain from Tiffany & Co., looping the ring onto it, presumably as a promise ring for when their respective divorces are finalized.

The colleagues drew the ire of many when their relationship was outed in late November 2022, since Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes were both still married to their spouses of 12 years. However, both couples reportedly had been separated since August, and Holmes has since filed for divorce from Marilee Fiebig.

While the former co-hosts don’t appear to have any professional endeavors in the works right now, it’s also unknown who will permanently fill their spots on GMA3: What You Need to Know, which has seen a series of guest hosts since Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes were taken off the air in December. Stay tuned to see how ABC continues to handle the third hour of Good Morning America, and check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon.