Is Robin Roberts leaving ‘Good Morning America?’ The longtime anchor’s absence, explained

For decades now, ABC viewers have planned their mornings around Good Morning America and its talented hosts, Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, and George Stephanopoulos.

Its been almost 20 years since Roberts first stepped into her role as anchor, and in those decades she’s established herself as a trustworthy and engaging broadcaster with a wide-reaching net that collects any number of topics, from sports broadcasting to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. She’s an award-winning anchor with decades of experience under her belt, and she’s a necessary staple of Good Morning America.

Her popularity and vital connection to GMA is behind the outcry following Roberts’ absence through several mid-June GMA episodes. She disappeared from her typical position among the show’s anchors for several days in a row, prompting fears that her time with the program has come to an end. She didn’t issue a heartfelt goodbye or an explanation, however, leaving fans at a loss as to her absence.

Has Robin Roberts’ time at Good Morning America come to an end?

Put your pitchforks away, GMA fans — Robin Roberts hasn’t been removed from her longstanding position as anchor of the program. She’s just away from the desk for a bit, as she explores good old-fashioned shoe leather reporting on-site in Portugal. Rebecca Jarvis is stepping in to cover for Roberts while she’s away, but fear not — the fan-favorite reporter will return.

She may be away for awhile longer, however, as she continues to explore Portugal and report on the increasing number of American citizens both traveling and fully relocating to the southern European country. She’s been enjoying her time in Portugal, but that hasn’t stopped her from keeping up with her uplifting posts to social media, where she’s sharing both positivity and images of her trip. She’s thoroughly enjoying her time overseas, and won’t be back in the states for several more days.

Fans can still keep up with Roberts via her social media, and through her reporting on Portugal, which is airing on GMA. They’ll get the chance to tune into everything Roberts learned during her time out of the country on the beloved program, where Roberts persists as a treasured element of millions of American’s morning routines.