Charles Gibson on the “Mixed Blessing” of Being Iconic

Even nearly two decades after retiring, Charles Gibson, 82, remains a recognizable figure in American broadcast journalism. The former Good Morning America anchor attended the show’s 50th anniversary celebration in New York City, reuniting with past and present co-anchors. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Gibson reflected on his career and legacy.

“You feel a little bit like you’ve been sculpted and marbled and stuck on a bason,” he joked when told that Robin Roberts described him as part of the “Mount Rushmore of news anchors.”
“This business of being iconic, it’s a mixed blessing,” he added.

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A Storied Career at Good Morning America

Gibson joined GMA in 1987 as co-anchor after serving as ABC News’ White House correspondent. Aside from a brief hiatus in 1998, he remained on the morning show until June 2006. His tenure included historic moments such as co-anchoring with Diane Sawyer and covering the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“It’s such an intimate time of day, to be on and in people’s living rooms in the morning,” Gibson reflected.
“As I always say, you don’t have your best friends into the house at that hour in the morning. The dishes aren’t done, the beds aren’t made, the kids aren’t ready for their day and here we are with a coat and tie, saying ‘Take us into your living room.’”

He credits this personal connection with viewers as one reason for the show’s enduring success.

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Life After Good Morning America

After leaving GMA, Gibson became anchor of ABC World News from 2006 until his retirement in 2009. Despite stepping away from daily broadcasting, he maintains pride in his contributions to the network.

“It’s a great honor, really, to be part of this. Fifty years in television — almost no show lasts more than 13 weeks these days — and so to be part of something that lasted this long is sobering,” he said.

Gibson joked about the changing public recognition over the years:

“Less and less people come up to me in public. I’m an old fart. It’s gone. Some people still do. Mostly the geriatric set that come up and say hi.”

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Celebrating Good Morning America’s 50-Year Legacy

The milestone celebration brought together past and present anchors, including Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Diane Sawyer, Charlie Gibson, Joan Lunden, Michael Strahan, and Nancy Dussault, honoring the show’s legacy as a staple of American morning television.

Good Morning America airs weekdays on ABC.