‘GMA3’ Fill-Ins Gio Benitez and DeMarco Morgan Are Frontrunners To Replace Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes

GMA3 has two hosts in mind to replace T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach. A recent report claims that fill-ins Gio Benitez and DeMarco Morgan are frontrunners to join Dr. Jennifer Ashton on the lunchtime talk show.

According to Entertainment Tonight, the two anchors are being considered for a permanent position on GMA3 after their work filling in for the dethroned hosts. They are reportedly undergoing chemistry tests.

Both men have taken on hosting duties ever since ABC took Holmes and Robach off air in December following the reveal of their extramarital affair.

The source claimed that Benitez is a frontrunner for the position with Morgan being considered a viable applicant. “Gio has been with ABC for almost 10 years, is familiar with the brand, and is a familiar face on the regular morning show,” the source said. “Fans not only know him, but feel a comfortability with him on-air, effectively making his choosing an easy choice should they go in that direction.”

Morgan, who has been jumping between Los Angeles and New York, earned credit for his willingness to take on “anchoring duties” after the news about Robach and Holmes broke, despite being based in California.

“He’s been doing a great job and seems to be universally well-liked. So, it would seem he’s a serious contender for anchor,” the source told ET.

It was also stated that ABC “does not seem in that big of a rush to fill the vacancies left by Robach and Holmes,” but the source suggested that “it wouldn’t be surprising if new talent is named in the upcoming months.”

In December, we began publishing daily updates on Robach and Holmes’ absences and the fill-in hosts taking their spot. Over a nearly two-month long wait for news on the couple’s standing with the network, Morgan, Benitez, Rhiannon Ally, Stephanie Ramos, Janai Normal, and Dr. Darien Sutton appeared on the talk show as replacements. We noted repeatedly that Morgan and Ally seem to be favorites, given the number of times they were on-air and the positive comments they received from viewers on social media. 

Robach and Holmes were officially ousted from the show on Jan. 25, following an alleged mediation session. It has been rumored that they received payouts.

In the meantime, Robach and Holmes are reportedly pitching an “up close and personal” talk show to ABC competitors, such as CNN, CBS, and NBC. Meghan McCain endorsed the idea, writing in a column for The Daily Mail, “It was only a matter of time before the reality TV behemoth enveloped TV news. Come on, they’re not that different after all. And we can’t look away from a trainwreck.” ET released a similar report, stating that the two have been taking meetings with different networks.