ABC has finalized the new roster for the weekend edition of Good Morning America. This announcement follows a period of transition for the broadcast program. The network confirmed on September 9, 2026, that the new team will make their official debut on air this Saturday, September 12.
Whit Johnson and Gio Benitez will remain as core anchors for the weekend broadcasts. Joining them are Rachel Scott and Rhiannon Ally, who step into expanded co-anchoring roles. The specific pairing strategy assigns Scott to anchor alongside Johnson on Saturdays. Benitez will work with Ally during the Sunday broadcasts. These changes mark a significant shift in the show's presentation style as it moves into the final quarter of the year.
Beyond their weekend duties on the main network show, all four anchors will participate in a rotation for ABC News Live Weekend. This program broadcasts on the company's streaming service every weekend at 10 a.m. ET. The increased workload reflects a broader push by the network to integrate its streaming output with its traditional broadcast properties.
Meteorological Updates and Scheduling Shifts
Leslie Lopez joins the team as the new weekend meteorologist. Lopez moved to this role after spending a decade at ABC7 Los Angeles, where she built a reputation for accurate weather reporting. She arrived at the national network level earlier this April. Her arrival marks a change for the weekend broadcast, as she takes over duties formerly held by Somara Theodore.
Theodore, a Penn State graduate who joined the network in 2023, is not leaving the company entirely. An ABC News spokesperson confirmed that she will transition to weekday coverage as a meteorologist for the streaming platform ABC News Live. This move allows the network to keep her expertise on their digital channels while opening up the weekend television slot for new personnel.
Other team members are also balancing multiple responsibilities within the news division. Whit Johnson retains his position behind the desk at ABC World News Tonight on Saturdays. Meanwhile, Rachel Scott continues her work as a senior political correspondent covering Washington, D.C. throughout the work week. These overlapping roles highlight the dense scheduling demands placed on network news talent in the current media environment.
Contextualizing Recent Departures
These staffing updates arrive five months after the sudden departure of former co-host Janai Norman. Norman left the weekend desk in April after a nearly four-year tenure with the program. Reports surfaced indicating that her contract was not renewed, a development that drew attention from industry observers and fans alike.
Norman addressed her exit through social media channels shortly after the news broke. She noted that her time on the program ended abruptly and expressed disappointment that she did not receive a final on-air farewell to the audience. Her transition out of the network has been documented in subsequent interviews and public statements.
She now looks toward a new chapter in her professional life. Norman recently announced the upcoming release of a memoir titled Breaking. The book centers on her experiences managing a borderline personality disorder diagnosis alongside the demands of motherhood and a high-profile television career. This shift in the weekend anchor desk signifies a new era for the program as it seeks to stabilize its identity heading into 2027.