Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Chief Health and Medical Correspondent for ABC News, has announced that she’s leaving GMA3 after 13 years with the network.
In addition to co-hosting GMA3, Ashton has been a regular contributor to WABC-TV NY, the No. 1 local station in the nation. Ashton will make her final appearances on GMA3: What You Need to Know and WABC-TV NY when her contract ends in June.
“It has been an honor to be at ABC and help cover the biggest health issues in the country and world over the past 13 years,” Dr. Ashton said in a statement on April 18. “My coworkers have become more than friends; they’ve become family and have seen me through the biggest professional and personal moments of my life. I feel fortunate to have worked with the best in the business.”
Now a four-time Emmy Award winner, Ashton first joined ABC News as Senior Medical Contributor in 2012 and was promoted to Chief Medical Correspondent in 2017. She is the first woman and only the third physician in the 75-plus-year history of ABC News to hold that title. Further, she has been the only network medical correspondent who is a specialist in Women’s Health, and the only doctor with a national media platform who also holds a degree in nutrition and obesity medicine.
“As one of the preeminent medical journalists of our time — or as we call her here at ABC — ‘America’s favorite doctor,’ Dr. Ashton has immeasurably contributed to ABC News as America’s No. 1 news network,” said Debra O’Connell, President of News Group and Networks for Disney Entertainment. “She will always have a home at ABC, and we wish her only the best as she continues her unwavering advocacy of women’s health.”
“Dr. Ashton’s straight-forward, fact-based reporting has guided our audience — and the country — through some of the most significant health crises of the past decade, notably the COVID-19 pandemic,” said ABC News president, Kim Godwin. “And she’s done so with poise, unfettered access to key health leaders and experts, and outstanding reporting that’s provided a roadmap to wellness for millions of our viewers.”
Next, Ashton will be spearheading her new women’s wellness company called Ajenda, which aims to address the challenges of menopause health and weight management.
“Ajenda is inspired by Dr. Ashton’s commitment to addressing and improving women’s health issues, and the incredible need for facts and honesty around menopause and weight management in today’s health conversation,” a press release describes of the company. Ajenda “will leverage Dr. Ashton’s areas of expertise as a board-certified OB/GYN and Obesity Medicine Specialist with a master’s degree in nutrition, to promote optimal health and empower women with effective and science-backed guidance.”