The newly announced weekend team for *Good Morning America* (GMA) is gearing up for their debut on September 12, with a fresh format designed to energise the Saturday and Sunday broadcasts. The team, comprising Whit Johnson and Rachel Scott on Saturdays, and Gio Benitez and Rhiannon Ally on Sundays, along with meteorologist Leslie Lopez, is preparing for a new chapter in morning news.
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These five journalists are no strangers to the demands of early mornings. The day starts exceptionally early for Rhiannon Ally, whose alarm pierces the quiet of her household at 4 a.m. “It’s a struggle because I love my sleep,” she admits. To combat this, Ally has a penchant for hitting the snooze button numerous times before her day officially begins. Quietly tiptoeing through her home to avoid waking her family, she grabs some caffeine and a light breakfast before embarking on her commute.
Once on the road, Ally keeps connected to the news, reviewing emails and catching up with overnight developments. At the studio, she refines scripts while getting ready on set, and perhaps most crucially, she indulges in a guilty pleasure: sweets. “I’ll grab a few pieces of candy from our audio crew,” she shares. “I love sugar and they have a stash!”
Leslie Lopez, the weekend’s weather anchor, has a similar approach to maintaining her morning tranquillity. “I quietly sneak out of bed so I don’t wake up my family and pets, and then it’s go, go, go,” she explains. Lopez’s beverage of choice is a matcha latte, which she consumes in significant quantities as she processes weather information during her commute. Once settled at the studio, she juggles final preparations, engaging with the weather team and familiarising herself with the forecast graphics before sprinting to the set in her high heels. “It’s a little chaotic, but I love it and I thrive on that fast pace,” she states.
Whit Johnson, co-anchor on Saturdays, takes a more rock-oriented approach to his early rise. Starting his day with “coffee and classic rock,” he immerses himself in the sounds of Led Zeppelin and Van Morrison while reviewing scripts. “A few sips of hot coffee alongside some weeping guitar notes help put me in an almost hypnotic rhythm,” he reflects, crediting this ritual with instilling a sense of energy and optimism, despite the early hour.
Rachel Scott, who anchors alongside Johnson, has a somewhat more complex preparation process due to her commitments in Washington, D.C. Her weekend routine kicks off on Fridays, as she jumps on an Amtrak train to New York after her work at the White House. “The Amtrak Acela staff is getting to know me quite well,” she jokes. Scott uses the three-hour journey to prepare for Saturday’s show, shifting her focus from her political reporting to the broader array of topics she will cover.
When it comes to waking up, Scott admits to being somewhat anxious, setting multiple alarms to ensure she rises on time. However, she notes that the excitement of her new role has led to her waking up before her numerous alarms lately. Her morning habits typically involve a coffee and a bit of prayer, alongside a stash of blueberries that she keeps at the anchor desk for a quick snack during commercial breaks.
Gio Benitez, who anchors Sundays, prioritises a moment of calm as part of his morning routine. He approaches his Sundays with a focus on mindfulness, starting with prayer and contemplation before transitioning to classical music while preparing for his day. His coffee fix is saved for when he arrives at the office, signalling the start of a busy morning.
As these five journalists embrace their new roles, they express excitement about becoming an integral part of viewers’ weekends. “It’s a privilege to be there as families across the country wake up and prepare for their days,” Scott remarks, highlighting the connection they share with their audience.
The new format for *Good Morning America* weekends promises not only fresh pairings at the anchor desk but also more opportunities for the team to contribute to weekday broadcasts. Alongside the weekend show, Johnson, Scott, Benitez, and Ally will also rotate as anchors for *ABC News Live Weekend*, expanding their reach across multiple platforms.
Schedule watchers can catch *Good Morning America* Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. ET on ABC, marking the start of a thrilling new chapter for the GMA weekend team.