Gayle King is highly critical of ABC News’ response to GMA co-anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach‘s cheating scandal.
Robach, 49, and Holmes, 45, took their romance public by shamelessly holding hands and flirting with each other. They also went on a weekend getaway in upstate New York, leaving their spouses at home.
During an appearance on Andy Cohen‘s “Watch What Happens Live” on Thursday, King said she stands by her friends, Holmes and Robach.
But she said the situation had become “very messy” and “sloppy” due to ABC’s slow reaction after Holmes bedded multiple ABC News staffers before hooking up with Robach.
By the time ABC president, Kim Godwin finally took action and pulled them off the air, it was too late to stem the tide of criticism.
“In the beginning I actually thought, good on ‘Good Morning America.’ They’re saying they’re not taking them off the air. It’s two consenting adults,” King told Cohen.
“But then the more you read, it’s just very messy,” said King, who wasn’t aware that Robach and Holmes were still married to other people.
King, 67, said the lovers should have used better judgment since children are involved.
“I think, to me, it’s just a sad situation because you’ve got kids involved, you’ve got families involved, and I keep thinking about that. I’m very concerned about that.”
Robach’s divorce from actor Andrew Shue is nearly finalized, but Holmes’ long-suffering wife, attorney Marilee Fiebig, 44, has not filed for divorce. She is still living at home with their 9-year-old daughter, Sabine.
Page Six broke the news that Fiebig, was “blindsided” because they had been attempting to reconcile after his three-year affair with GMA producer named Natasha Singh.
“She fell in love with him. He had a key to her apartment,” an insider told Page Six of Singh’s fling with Holmes.
ABC is investigating whether Holmes slept with lower level employees.
“It’s one thing for him to have a relationship with another anchor,” said an insider. “The question is whether he violated company rules by dating less senior employees.”
Sources say Robach and Holmes are suspended “indefinitely” and probably won’t return to co-anchor GMA spin-off GMA3.
Watch the video below.
