‘RATINGS GOLD’: ‘GMA’ won’t punish T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach for alleged affair

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The sun is going to keep shining on Good Morning America co-hosts T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach, whose working relationship allegedly turned romantic earlier this year.

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According to Page Six, the pair won’t be disciplined after the hosts were caught cheating earlier this week.

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“All they care about is the ratings,” a source tells Page Six. “This is ratings gold. That’s why [ABC News President] Kim [Goodwin] wanted them on the show today.”

After the Daily Mail published photos of the pair holding hands and cozying up to one another out in public, Holmes and Robach were back on the air together.

“Who is looking forward to the weekend?” Holmes asked.

Robach grinned, and replied, “Uh, me!”

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A source told PEOPLE that while the photos of Robach, 49, and Holmes, 45, came as a surprise, the pair’s on-screen chemistry had led to whispers that there might be something more to their working relationship.

“There were rumours they were having an affair about a year ago,” the insider said. “A lot of people believed there might have been some truth to it, because you can see there’s a mutual affection there. But everyone ultimately chalked it up to friendship because they always said they were both happily married.”

An insider told Page Six that their dalliance began in March when they were training for the New York City Half Marathon.

One staff member went on to add that the pair tried to keep their burgeoning romance a secret.

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“They have a very cozy relationship on air, but that is what is expected. But they were very careful behind the scenes to keep their affair secret. The producers at GMA are shocked to hear they are having an affair.”

Insiders went on to tell the Daily Mail that Robach ditched her hubby, Melrose Place star Andrew Shue, in August, with Holmes leaving his spouse, attorney Marilee Fiebig, the same month.

In response to the news of the affair, Shue, 55, scrubbed all images of Robach, including one in which the former couple exchanged a kiss with a gorgeous sunset in the background.

“Incredible weather and view with my baby – take nothing for granted,” he wrote in the picture.

Meanwhile, Fiebig was reportedly blindsided by news that Holmes had moved on so quickly after their split.

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“She’s devastated. She had no idea,” a source tells Page Six. “They haven’t been together in [a while], but they were trying to work it out.”

On social media, fans cracked jokes as news about the alleged affair made the rounds on Twitter.

“Tell me why T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach on GMA3 acting like nothing happened??? Top stories? Y’all ARE the story,” one person quipped.

“The Good Morning America cheating scandal is giving what a scandal needs to. High stakes (co-anchors on the most watched American newscast), audacity (65 photos of broad daylight cheating), and evidence hiding in plain sight (the guy’s anniversary post),” another wrote. “Unlike the Adam Levine cheating news which had absolutely zero features of a good scandal. Sleazy looking man cheats on wife with influencer he DM’d on instagram. Okay… and?”

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“Whoever hired that private investigator and sold the photos of T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach knows how to cause a 2004-esque scandal,” a third teased. “I love it – so chaotic.”

Rolling Stone said the news was resurrecting 2000s tabloid drama.

“You’re telling us Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes got caught by the paparazzi instead of in the DMs?,” the magazine wrote cheekily. “What year is this?”

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But as news of the romance spread, an insider speaking to PEOPLE defended the couple saying they were both single when they embarked on a new relationship.

“This was two consenting adults who were each separated. They both broke up with their spouses in August within weeks of each other. The relationship didn’t start until after that,” the source says.

“She’s got nothing to hide. They were both separated so they felt very comfortable dating in the open after that. Their spouses had moved out, even! So they were not hiding anything.”

“They’re not ashamed. They’re two consenting adults who ended up loving each other,” another source tells Page Six.

Earlier, Robach had spoken to PEOPLE about her close bond with Holmes.

“The moment he started at ABC, I think we just clicked. We’ve gone on tons of double dates with our spouses and my daughters babysit his daughters.”

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