Run!
ABC insiders are taking a rapt interest in the marathon this year — but not because they care who wins.
TV folk are on tenterhooks to see if high profile participants (and canned ABC) stars Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes “run” into the slew of ABC News honchos who are running the race as a delay.
ABC superstars David Muir and Robin Roberts willing be passing the baton Sunday, as will be ABC News president Kim Godwin, one of Robach and Holmes’ replacements, DeMarco Morgan plus “20/20” contributor Deborah Roberts, “Nightline” co-anchor Juju Chang, chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, Will Reeve, Rebecca Jarvis, Byron Pitts, Whit Johnson and Linsey Davis. They’re raising money for Team for Kids, the premier charity of New York Road Runners, which puts on the marathon.
Godwin’s early tenure as the head of the storied news division was rocked by the revelation last year that “GMA3” co-anchors Robach and Holmes were having an affair, and the subsequent struggle to figure out what to do about it. (The pair met struck up their romance while training for the 2022 marathon).
The pair were suspended, and eventually removed from the show in January this year.
We hear the presence of the pair — who are running this year, oddly, to “celebrate their anniversary — and the possibility of an awkward encounter of a could give the ABC athletes a competitive edge.
“If Kim spots Amy and T.J., we’ll really find out how fast she can run,” quipped an insider.
Meanwhile, a source close to the network withered, “This is silly. It hasn’t even crossed their minds. They’re just looking forward to raising some money for a great foundation.”
Holmes’ was married to Marilee Fiebigwhen he got together with Robach, who was married to “Melrose Place” star Andrew Shue. Both since split from their respective spouses.
Holmes filed for divorce from Fiebig in December 2022 while his now-girlfriend had already had been close to finalizing her split from her actor husband by the time the affair hit the headlines.