Janai Norman reunites with former “Good Morning America ”cohosts after abrupt exit
Janai Norman reunites with former “Good Morning America ”cohosts after abrupt exit
Shania RussellThu, April 30, 2026 at 6:20 PM UTC
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Janai Norman reunites with GMA colleaguesCredit: Janai Norman/InstagramKey Points -
Janai Norman recently reunited with several of her former GMA colleagues for a night out.
Among the attendees were her former co-hosts Whit Johnson and Gio Benitez, along with GMA Weekend showrunner Ariel Miller.
The outing comes weeks after Norman abruptly exited the weekend edition of the program, after news broke that ABC declined to renew her contract.
Just because Janai Norman has exited the show, doesn't mean she can't spend quality time with her Good Morning America pals.
Weeks after the GMA Weekend host abruptly departed the show, Norman reunited with several of her former colleagues for a joyous dinner. Photographs of the outing saw her pose alongside former co-hosts Whit Johnson and Gio Benitez.
The trio were joined by Benitez’s husband, Tommy DiDario, ABC News correspondent Andrea Fujii, GMA correspondent Will Ganss, GMA Weekend showrunner Ariel Miller, and her husband, Blaine Lewis-Thompson.
The sweet snaps saw the group smiling around a table at a restaurant and posing together after the occasion. Sharing the photos in a joint-post with his fellow attendees, Johnson wrote, "A night of laughter and love with this crew! Always a blast!"
The reunion comes weeks after news broke that Norman would be leaving the weekend edition of GMA after ABC declined to renew her contract.
The former anchor had been with the network for 15 years, joining NewsOne as an intern in 2011. She later served as a correspondent for ABC News and then a co-anchor for World News Now and America This Morning. She joined GMA Weekend in 2019 as the Pop News host before being promoted to her anchor role in 2022.
Janai Norman on 'Good Morning America'Credit: Paula Lobo/ABC
Rather than having an on-air goodbye, Norman announced her exit with an April 4 Instagram video. Two days prior, reports emerged, via the daily newsletter Status, that her contract with ABC had expired and would not be renewed.
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A source subsequently told PEOPLE, "Janai has known since early March she wasn't going to be renewed and has been on the air for weeks, completely professional with no issues. But when the story leaked online, she was abruptly taken off the air. Her contract is not up until early May."
In her video, Norman told viewers, "I hope that we’d have more time. It’s been hard on me that our time was cut short. I have loved my job. It has been a joy to connect with my coworkers and with viewers, to help keep you informed and entertained, and to create this community.”
She continued, "It really breaks my heart that I don’t get to say goodbye. I’m so sorry that I don’t get to say goodbye. It would’ve been fun."
Janai Norman on 'Good Morning America'Credit: Paula Lobo/ABC
Norman went on to say that she was looking forward to spending more time with her three young kids, after working weekends for their entire lives. "So now, they get more of me and that is worth everything," she said.
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She then thanked all those who reached out with kind words over the exit, adding, "I’m sorry. I feel you. Thank you to every single one of you who has reached out with such kind and validating words. I have needed it and I appreciate it."
Norman's departure was one of many big changes at the network as ABC News continues to adjust its morning programming lineup. The network restructured the GMA3 spinoff hour last year, folding it into the main program with a rotation of hosts including Benitez, Lara Spencer, and Sam Champion.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
