T. J. Holmes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
T. J. Holmes
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| Born |
Loutelious Holmes, Jr.
August 19, 1977 West Memphis, Arkansas, U.S.
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| Education | University of Arkansas (B.A. Broadcast Journalism) |
| Occupation | Journalist and television personality |
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Notable credit(s)
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| Spouse(s) |
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| Partner(s) | Amy Robach (since 2022) |
| Children | 3 |
Loutelious "T. J." Holmes Jr. (born August 19, 1977) is an American journalist and TV personality. He became well-known as an anchor and reporter for CNN. He worked there for five years, hosting CNN Saturday & Sunday Morning.
After leaving CNN in 2011, Holmes joined BET Networks. He hosted a show called Don't Sleep. In 2013, he left BET. He also worked as a substitute anchor for MSNBC and returned briefly to CNN.
From 2014 to 2023, Holmes worked for ABC News. He was a reporter and anchor for their news programs.
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Early Life and Education
T. J. Holmes was born in West Memphis, Arkansas. He is the younger of two children in his family. His family first called him "T. Jr." He started using "T. J." when he began his career in television.
Holmes went to the University of Arkansas. He studied broadcast journalism and earned his degree there.
A Look at His Career Journey
Holmes started his TV career at KSNF Channel 16 in Joplin, Missouri. He drove from his university to deliver his resume. He was hired right away. He worked at KSNF for less than a year. He was a producer, reporter, and weekend anchor.
In 2000, Holmes moved back to Arkansas. He joined KTHV in Little Rock, a CBS channel. He started as a general reporter. Within a year, he became the weekend anchor.
In 2003, Holmes moved to KNTV in the San Francisco Bay Area. This was an NBC station. He became the anchor for the 5 p.m. evening news. While at KNTV, he traveled to Athens, Greece. He covered the 2004 Olympics. These were the first Summer Games after the September 11th attacks. He also covered other big stories. These included the election of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He also reported on the trial of Scott Peterson.
Working at CNN
Holmes joined CNN in October 2006. He was a news anchor and reporter. He co-hosted CNN Saturday & Sunday Morning with Betty Nguyen. After Nguyen left in 2010, Holmes hosted the show by himself.
At CNN, Holmes reported from many major news events. He was in Joplin, MO, after tornadoes in 2011. He reported from New Orleans during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. He was also in Blacksburg, VA, after the shootings at Virginia Tech. Holmes also anchored from Ground Zero on the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
Holmes covered the first visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States in 2008. He anchored live from the mass at Yankee Stadium. He got some of the first stories from people who survived US Airways Flight 1549. This plane landed in the Hudson River in 2009. Holmes also reported from the University of Mississippi. This was during the first presidential debate between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama.
Holmes also anchored important news stories. These included Saddam Hussein's execution in 2006. He covered the attacks in Mumbai, India in 2008. He also reported on the attacks at the Glasgow Airport in 2007.
Holmes helped with CNN's coverage of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. He also helped with the 2008 presidential campaigns. Both of these received Peabody Awards. His last day at CNN was Christmas Day 2011.
Time at BET Networks
In December 2011, Holmes announced he was joining BET Networks. He signed a deal to work on different projects. BET stated that Holmes would have a new show. He would also create content for BET.com. The company wanted him to share "the most important and interesting stories" for their audience.
Stephen G. Hill, President of Music Programming and Specials at BET Networks, was excited. He said they looked forward to working with Holmes in new ways. He also mentioned developing shows that would show Holmes' intelligence and humor.
In August 2012, BET Networks announced Holmes would host Don't Sleep. This new show started on October 1, 2012. It aired Monday through Thursday. Holmes would offer smart comments on important issues for the black community. In March 2013, BET announced they had canceled Don't Sleep. Holmes then left the network.
Working with MSNBC
Since December 29, 2012, Holmes has appeared on MSNBC. He has been a substitute anchor many times. He has appeared on shows like Weekends with Alex Witt and NewsNation with Tamron Hall.
Brief Return to CNN
On June 24, 2013, Holmes briefly returned to the Turner networks. He anchored coverage of the George Zimmerman trial.
Joining ABC News
T. J. Holmes joined the ABC News Team on September 26, 2014. He started as a temporary reporter. He filled in on World News Now and America This Morning. He also reported for Good Morning America when big news happened overnight. On December 23, 2014, he became a permanent co-anchor of World News Now.
On September 21, 2020, Holmes became a co-anchor for GMA3: What You Need to Know. In December 2022, Holmes and his GMA3 co-host Amy Robach stopped appearing on air. This happened after their personal partnership became public. In January 2023, Holmes and Robach left ABC News. In December 2023, they started a podcast called Amy & T.J. on iHeartRadio.
Personal Life and Achievements
Holmes is a member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta. He is also part of the National Association of Black Journalists. He serves on the Chancellor's Board of Advisors at the University of Arkansas. He is also on the Board of Visitors at Emory University in Atlanta.
In 2007, Holmes received the Young Alumni Award. This was from the Arkansas Alumni Association at the University of Arkansas. In 2011, he was named to The Root 100 List. This list recognizes influential Black Americans.
Holmes has three children. He has a daughter named Brianna and a son named Jaiden from previous relationships. He married Marilee Fiebig on March 1, 2010, in Memphis, Tennessee. Their daughter, Sabine, was born in January 2013.
