'GMA' host Joan Lunden alleges former boss sexually harassed her
'GMA' host Joan Lunden alleges former boss sexually harassed her
Edward Segarra, USA TODAYTue, March 3, 2026 at 4:43 PM UTC
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"Good Morning America" alum Joan Lunden is getting candid on her early days in the news business.
The acclaimed TV journalist, who co-anchored the ABC morning show from 1980 to 1997, revealed that a former boss sexually harassed her during the up-and-coming host's stint at WABC, Lunden alleges in her new memoir "Joan: Life Beyond the Script."
Lunden, a Daytime Emmy-nominated broadcaster, worked as a reporter and later anchor at the TV network's flagship New York station from 1975 until her "GMA" debut in 1980.
In her memoir, Lunden said her boss, a story editor whom she gives the pseudonym "Ted," invited her to a work get-together on Fire Island, initially describing the trip as a "good opportunity for you to socialize with the rest of the team."
Joan Lunden attends the "La Lucci" book launch, hosted by the American Heart Association, at Mandarin Oriental New York on Jan. 28, 2026.
"Not having any close friendships in the newsroom, I was concerned that I would feel awkward and uncomfortable, like a tagalong," Lunden, who was 25 when she joined WABC, wrote. "With some encouragement, I agreed to go. I'd never been to the famed Fire Island before. I'd heard that no cars were allowed on the island, so you had to take a ferry to get there."
However, Lunden said when she and Ted arrived at the barrier island, she was surprised to discover that there were only two other people in attendance, a WCBS reporter and his girlfriend, giving the impression that the gathering was actually something of an "overnight double date."
"I was embarrassed that I'd been so naive as to let this situation unfold, and I was offended as a woman that a guy — my superior at work — thought he could get away with this!" Lunden reflected. "He assumed that I would just go along with it."
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for WABC for comment.
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Joan Lunden details former boss' sexual harassment
After Lunden realized that plans had changed for the work trip, the news personality said she made it clear to Ted that she wasn't interested in making their relationship personal.
"'Ted, you know this is not what I signed up for,' I said, trying to be strong but not too offensive, since he was my boss," Lunden recalled in her memoir. "I was praying he would say, 'Oops, my bad. I'm sorry, let me take you back home.' Instead, he tried to be charming and make light of it. 'Look, maybe the original plan fell through, but we're all here, so let's just enjoy ourselves.'"
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Lunden added that she would later wind up sleeping on the sofa after Ted allegedly pressured her to sleep in the same bedroom.
Joan Lunden attends the "Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything" premiere during the 2025 Tribeca Festival at SVA Theater in New York City on June 12, 2025.
The "Good Morning America" alum said after the Fire Island trip, Ted's professional demeanor seemed to become more hostile, explaining that her colleague began "killing" her stories, or blocking her work from getting airtime.
"I was about to find out that hell hath no fury like a man scorned," Lunden wrote. "I felt vulnerable and helpless. Not only that, but my reputation also took a hit because a) it had become known that I went to Fire Island with my immediate superior, and b) it was obvious to everyone that my stories weren't making air."
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Lunden said her stories not receiving airtime also affected her income at the time, as reporters typically were "paid a base salary and an additional fee for each story that appeared on the air."
"But even more disturbing than the loss of pay was having to put up with his attitude and what it said to me and other women who only wanted to work as equals," Lunden wrote. "His behavior clearly sent the message that women were not equal to men, and that when I'd refused his overtures, he was free to seek revenge. This was clearly sexual harassment and sexual discrimination."
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The TV journalist said Ted's behavior persisted for a "couple of months," until she consulted her agent and lawyer, who advised Lunden that she could sue for sexual harassment and discrimination. She later called a meeting with Ted and informed him of the possible legal action, which "got his attention" and even prompted an apology.
"I could see by the look on his face that my punch had landed," Lunden wrote. "He walked out, and we both went back to work. Sometimes, you just have to put on your big-girl pants and stand up for yourself, even if it feels incredibly uncomfortable and scary."
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'GMA' host Joan Lunden alleges former boss sexually harassed her
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