Lara Spencer Leaving ‘The Insider' for ‘GMA'

Rejoins ABC morning program as lifestyle anchor

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/17/2011 10:50:24 AM

Lara Spencer is rejoining ABC's Good Morning America as its lifestyle anchor, ABC News President Ben Sherwood said in a memo to staff Thursday.

Spencer, who is currently anchor of The Insider, will start her new role in May, based in New York. At GMA she'll lead entertainment and celebrity coverage, focus on issues like parenting and health, as well as contribute to Nightline.

"Through a remarkable news cycle this year, GMA has shown great strength and depth," Sherwood said in the memo. "With Robin and George at the anchor desk and with Sam, Juju and the rest of the GMA team, I believe this is a very exciting time for the program."

Spencer first joined GMA in 1999 as a national correspondent and previously worked for WABC-TV. She moved to The Insider in 2003, which named Kevin Frazier the new co-anchor of the newsmagazine program last week.

"Last week Kevin Frazier started as co-anchor of The Insider as part of a restructuring," said Aaron Meyerson, president of programming and development, CBS Television Distribution in a statement Thursday.  "We will soon announce the co-anchor who will join Kevin and are confident the show will seamlessly continue to deliver  the entertainment insider perspective our viewers have come to rely on."

Spencer had also been rumored to be up for Mary Hart's job when the longtime Entertainment Tonight host announced her retirement last summer, but that role went to Nancy O'Dell in November.

Sherwood's full memo below:

I'm writing with exciting news about the GMA family.

In May, our very own Lara Spencer will come home to ABC News as Good Morning America's lifestyle anchor. In this new role, Lara will bring her well-known and much admired versatility and vitality to a broad range of GMA stories.

Lara grew up at WABC-TV where she made her name covering features and hard news including the death of Princess Diana and the crash of TWA 800.

In 1999, she joined GMA as a national correspondent and many of us remember her spirited 50 state road trip in a bright red convertible. Lara also hosted Antiques Roadshow on PBS.

In 2003, Lara moved to The Insider as co-anchor in New York and later as solo anchor in Los Angeles. Over the past 7 years, she has interviewed celebrities and newsmakers from George Clooney to Hillary Clinton.

At GMA, Lara will focus on many issues including family, parenting, health, fitness and work/life balance. She will also help lead our entertainment and celebrity coverage. In addition, she will contribute to Nightline and, like our entire on-air team, she will report for every platform. She will be based in New York.

Through a remarkable news cycle this year, GMA has shown great strength and depth. With Robin and George at the anchor desk and with Sam, Juju and the rest of the GMA team, I believe this is a very exciting time for the program.

Please join me in congratulating Lara and welcoming her home to ABC News.