ABC Pairs Michael Strahan With Sara Haines For GMA Hour

ABC will tie Michael Strahan even more closely to its “Good Morning America” franchise when it pairs the popular host with Sara Haines in a third hour of the program slated to air in early afternoon on the network starting September 10.

Michael Strahan

According to Variety, a person familiar with the program confirmed details about its hosts and disclosed the show’s start date. ABC News, which produces the program, declined to make executives available for comment.

Launch of the show will extend the presence of “GMA” to the network’s daytme schedule from its early-morning grid, and allow ABC to create bigger packages for advertisers, as NBC does with four hours of “Today.” The idea should also boost affiliates, as ABC can promote the extension during the main “GMA” broadcast that airs between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.

The new hour is expected to be taped, not presented live, and run at 1 p.m. on weekdays. One scenario that has been discussed for the new hour would involve making use of the live, in-studio audience assembled each morning for the 8 a.m. hour of the flagship show. ABC said earlier this year it would replace “The Chew” with the new “GMA” hour.