Amy Robach Calls Pressures of T.J. Holmes Romance ‘Really Hard’: ‘You Feel Like You’re Being Watched’

Mar. 15, 2025

T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach.Photo:Phil McCarten/ABC via Getty

Phil McCarten/ABC via Getty

Amy RobachandT.J. Holmescan relate to celebrity couples struggling in the spotlight.The formerGM3co-anchors, wholeft ABC News and their morning showafter their private romance went public in late 2022, discussed recent celebrity breakups and the idea of long-distance relationships on theI Do, Part 2podcast on Thursday, Jan. 16.“The pressure, the public pressure of a public romance is real, and it’s tough,” Robach, 51, shared.“You feeling it?” Holmes, 47, asked her.“Well, no. Oh, it’s getting so much better,” Robach admitted. “I felt it for … the first year was really hard.”Amy Robach and TJ Holmes during the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon.Bryan Bedder/New York Road Runners via GettyThe mother of two added, “I don’t feel it as much now as I did a year ago, for sure. And it does add to stress levels because you feel like you’re being watched. You feel like you’re being talked about. There’s pressure associated with that, without a doubt. But in that sense, I feel like maybe even more so than not, you root for public couples because you want them to make it because it’s hard. It’s hard already, and adding fame and all of that pressure to it is just tough.”While discussing recent splits, Robach also noted that she feels celebrities have a right to privacy.“Even if you are a public figure and you are a celebrity and you make your living doing so, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a right to a private life,” she said. “A lot of folks wanna get their divorce finalized. They wanna have all their ducks in a row before they then announce it.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Robach finalized her divorce from ex-husbandAndrew Shuein March 2023 following the publicized news of her relationship with Holmes. Meanwhile, Holmes finalized his divorce from ex-wifeMarilee Fiebigin October 2023. The pair maintain that they had ended their previous relationships before they struck up their own romance in late 2022. PEOPLE then confirmed in December 2023 that Shue and Fiebig weredating, with the duo most recentlystepping out togetherlast month when they attended the2024 Grassroot Soccer World AIDS Day Galaon Dec. 3 in New York City.“I know that’s where our heads were in our situations,” Robach said of wanting to settle their divorces before announcing anything, “and when someone forces your hand, it’s a trauma on top of a trauma that’s unnecessary.”Holmes quipped, “My next divorce, I’m gonna announce it immediately. I am going to be the first, I mean, the most it’s gonna be out there so quick, so quick. Lesson learned.”“Deafening silence. Deafening silence from me,” Robach, who has discussed marriage to Holmes, joked. “Yes. I know you were kidding.”The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!The New York City-based couple, whomoved in togetherlast year, also discussed the idea of long-distance relationships, with Robach noting that her own parents credited the success of their 52-year marriage to spending half their time apart.“Then we’re doomed because we spend every waking moment together,” Holmes joked, with Robach adding, “We have a no distance relationship.”“I mean, even when your showers go a little long, I’m like, ‘Where is she?’ ” Holmes quipped.T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach attend ‘Today’ producer Jen Long’s wedding.Amy Robach/InstagramAnd Robach attributes their desire to spend so much time together to the early stages of their friendship that turned romantic.“I think we spent so much time as friends missing each other that now we’re just so excited to be together that we actually get to be together, and we choose to be together,” Robach explained. “But that has come after a lot of time and a lot of, I think, longing. So that does create a different relationship or dynamic to begin with going into it.”Holmes and Robach have previously made it clear that they intend to stay together for the long haul.“We are not trying to see if we want to be together. We’re not trying to do a trial run to see if this thing can work,” Holmes shared in December on theirAmy & T.J.podcast. “That’s not where we are. So the decision has been made to spend a life together.”

Amy RobachandT.J. Holmescan relate to celebrity couples struggling in the spotlight.

The formerGM3co-anchors, wholeft ABC News and their morning showafter their private romance went public in late 2022, discussed recent celebrity breakups and the idea of long-distance relationships on theI Do, Part 2podcast on Thursday, Jan. 16.

“The pressure, the public pressure of a public romance is real, and it’s tough,” Robach, 51, shared.

“You feeling it?” Holmes, 47, asked her.

“Well, no. Oh, it’s getting so much better,” Robach admitted. “I felt it for … the first year was really hard.”

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes during the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon.Bryan Bedder/New York Road Runners via Getty

Bryan Bedder/New York Road Runners via Getty

The mother of two added, “I don’t feel it as much now as I did a year ago, for sure. And it does add to stress levels because you feel like you’re being watched. You feel like you’re being talked about. There’s pressure associated with that, without a doubt. But in that sense, I feel like maybe even more so than not, you root for public couples because you want them to make it because it’s hard. It’s hard already, and adding fame and all of that pressure to it is just tough.”

While discussing recent splits, Robach also noted that she feels celebrities have a right to privacy.

“Even if you are a public figure and you are a celebrity and you make your living doing so, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a right to a private life,” she said. “A lot of folks wanna get their divorce finalized. They wanna have all their ducks in a row before they then announce it.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Robach finalized her divorce from ex-husbandAndrew Shuein March 2023 following the publicized news of her relationship with Holmes. Meanwhile, Holmes finalized his divorce from ex-wifeMarilee Fiebigin October 2023. The pair maintain that they had ended their previous relationships before they struck up their own romance in late 2022. PEOPLE then confirmed in December 2023 that Shue and Fiebig weredating, with the duo most recentlystepping out togetherlast month when they attended the2024 Grassroot Soccer World AIDS Day Galaon Dec. 3 in New York City.

“I know that’s where our heads were in our situations,” Robach said of wanting to settle their divorces before announcing anything, “and when someone forces your hand, it’s a trauma on top of a trauma that’s unnecessary.”

Holmes quipped, “My next divorce, I’m gonna announce it immediately. I am going to be the first, I mean, the most it’s gonna be out there so quick, so quick. Lesson learned.”

“Deafening silence. Deafening silence from me,” Robach, who has discussed marriage to Holmes, joked. “Yes. I know you were kidding.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The New York City-based couple, whomoved in togetherlast year, also discussed the idea of long-distance relationships, with Robach noting that her own parents credited the success of their 52-year marriage to spending half their time apart.

“Then we’re doomed because we spend every waking moment together,” Holmes joked, with Robach adding, “We have a no distance relationship.”

“I mean, even when your showers go a little long, I’m like, ‘Where is she?’ ” Holmes quipped.

T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach attend ‘Today’ producer Jen Long’s wedding.Amy Robach/Instagram

Amy Robach/Instagram

And Robach attributes their desire to spend so much time together to the early stages of their friendship that turned romantic.

“I think we spent so much time as friends missing each other that now we’re just so excited to be together that we actually get to be together, and we choose to be together,” Robach explained. “But that has come after a lot of time and a lot of, I think, longing. So that does create a different relationship or dynamic to begin with going into it.”

Holmes and Robach have previously made it clear that they intend to stay together for the long haul.

“We are not trying to see if we want to be together. We’re not trying to do a trial run to see if this thing can work,” Holmes shared in December on theirAmy & T.J.podcast. “That’s not where we are. So the decision has been made to spend a life together.”

source: people.com