Disney/ABC Fight to Save 'Good Morning America' as Star Prepares to Exit

For nearly 50 years, millions of Americans tuned in to watch Good Morning America on ABC. The show covered everything from trending stories, top news stories, human interest pieces and more. For decades, Good Morning America held the top spot in most-watched morning shows, with audiences loving the natural chemistry between the cohosts and the trustworthiness of what was being reported.

However, in recent years, Good Morning America and ABC News as a whole have been struggling. Much of the trouble seems to stem from the lack of leadership from former ABC News President Kim Godwin. Godwin fired people without replacing them, mishandled the headline-making affair between T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach, and ignored the angry outbursts from meteorologist Rob Marciano.

Related: Fired ABC Star Reportedly Having Regrets After Huge Move

Godwin stepped down from her role in May 2024, but it appears that things at ABC News have not really improved that much. And it seems that one of Good Morning America’s most beloved anchors might be preparing to step away from the show permanently.

According to a report from NewsNation, Michael Strahan is actively preparing to exit the show after his contract expires this year. The former NFL star joined GMA as a permanent co-anchor alongside Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos in 2016.

“He will be out by this summer — he’s had enough,” one insider revealed.

Strahan, a former NFL star and longtime TV personality, is looking to focus on his family and his passion for sports commentary. He currently juggles his role as a GMA anchor with his duties as an analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, working up to six or seven days a week during football season.

“It’s a lot,” another source said. “He wants to spend more time with his family.”

Related: After Cheating Scandal, Fired ABC Stars Launch Rival News Show

Strahan’s impending exit is not the only behind-the-scenes struggle ABC is facing. Longtime news anchor George Stephanopoulos is reportedly “miserable” at the network, despite the fact that he just signed a multimillion-dollar contract to stay with Good Morning America.

Many are also worried about the job cuts that will be made as Disney and ABC spend more time focusing on their streaming platforms and moving shows over to streaming, and less time focusing on cable network shows.

ABC executives have tried to express that they are not worried about layoffs, but staffers are not believing them, especially as news competitors like CNN and MSNBC conduct layoffs and issue smaller contracts to cable network stars.

While football season might be over, Mr. Strahan still has a lot on his plate. In addition to working on Good Morning America, he is currently focusing on his daughter Isabella. In 2023, Isabella was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor, when she was just a freshman in college.

Since her shocking diagnosis, Isabella has undergone multiple brain surgeries, as well as chemotherapy and radiation. Thankfully, in July 2024, Isabella was declared cancer-free.

Would you be sad to see Michael Strahan leave Good Morning America? Who would you like to see replace him? Is GMA your go-to morning show? Share your thoughts in the comments!