Meet T. J. Holmes’ Ex-Wife: Marilee Fiebig Holmes

When news broke of how Amy Robach and T. J. Holmes’ romance evolved, the world of daytime TV was shook. We expect our news anchors to uphold traditional values and squeaky-clean reputations, so when Robach and Holmes’ affair was revealed, it proved to be a deal-breaker that got them both fired from their jobs on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” While viewers may have felt a certain way about the scandal, there were others at the heart of it who had to endure more than anyone else: Marilee Fiebig Holmes, T. J. Holmes’ wife, and Andrew Shue, Amy Robach’s husband. Suddenly, the pair were thrust into the spotlight, with many wondering about the devastating public betrayal they were experiencing.

For Fiebig Holmes, it marked the end of a 12-year marriage and caused her to become a single mother to the couple’s daughter, Sabine. But, if there’s one thing we know from situations like this, it’s that you can’t keep a good woman down. Outside of her marriage to her TV star ex, Fiebig Holmes has always gone from strength to strength. Her interesting childhood and stellar academic path made her one to watch, putting her on a career trajectory that many would envy.

Besides that, her love life took an unexpected twist during the midst of her divorce that surprised us more than Holmes and Robach’s affair. Let’s take a look at the stunning transformation of Marilee Fiebig Holmes.

Marilee Fiebig Holmes’ childhood was an interesting one, not least because of the way her parents met. Her father, William Fiebig, was a member of the Peace Corps, a U.S. government-run agency that specializes in training volunteers and sending them to different countries that require aid. Her dad was sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he met his future wife, Pauline. “I was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Fiebig Holmes told Marie Claire during a 2019 profile. “Our family moved to the United States when I was 5 years old because my mom wanted my siblings and me to fully take advantage of the educational opportunities that she didn’t have growing up in Africa,” she continued.

While Fiebig Holmes had instant dual nationality due to her father being born in America, the process of moving to the United States was more difficult for her mother. In the same interview with Marie Claire, Fiebig Holmes recalled watching her mother go through the immigration process, explaining that seeing it unfold “struck a chord” with her.

In 2018, she shared a photo of herself and her dad on Instagram. Fiebig Holmes can be seen as a toddler wearing a cute yellow dress as her dad beams into the camera. The sweet snap, posted in a carousel alongside a photo of T. J. Holmes with their daughter, paid tribute to the two men for Father’s Day.

Though the details about the “GMA” co-host affair rumors may have made T. J. Holmes more recognizable than ever, Marilee Fiebig Holmes hasn’t been sitting idly by in the shadows for all these years. While her ex was busy making a name for himself as a TV anchor, Fiebig Holmes was making money moves as a high-flying executive, but it all stemmed from her top-tier education. Her mother wanted to move to the United States to give her kids the best shot at a great education, and Fiebig Holmes didn’t disappoint. She went to some of the most prestigious schools America has to offer.

The mother-of-one attended the University of Michigan, the same Alma Matter as sports star Tom Brady and actor Lucy Liu. Fiebig Holmes may not have gone on to become a famous athlete or actor, but her work is arguably more important. She achieved a degree in political science and French before going on to study at one of the country’s top law schools, Vanderbilt University, where she got her JD. After graduating, Fiebig Holmes was inspired by her mother’s immigration story and went on to practice immigration law for around 10 years.

There was a period, before Amy Robach and T. J. Holmes’ complete relationship timeline evolved, that it seemed he had the perfect marriage. He was pictured alongside his then-wife, Marilee Fiebig Holmes, on numerous occasions, smiling and laughing at different events. Though it was Fiebig Holmes’ first marriage, Holmes had previously been espoused. T. J. Holmes’ first wife Amy Ferson knows first-hand what it’s like to split from the TV star. The pair divorced in 2006, and the following year, Holmes met his soon-to-be second wife. Those early days may have been a little tricky for the couple, as Holmes’ divorce from Ferson wasn’t exactly amicable.

The judge had to put a non-harassment order in place to stop either party from “threatening, injuring, maltreating, vilifying, molesting, or harassing” each other, according to The U.S. Sun. Not much is known about how the romance between Fiebig Holmes and the “GMA” anchor blossomed, but they went on to tie the knot in 2010.

On their 10th anniversary in 2020, Holmes posted a lengthy tribute to his wife on Instagram. “10 years ago, Marilee Fiebig married me,” he wrote (via Hello!) “And despite my best efforts, she remained married to me for the past 10 years. That’s not hyperbole. I’m not being dramatic. I gave her plenty of reasons, excuses, and opportunities to walk her fine ass out the [door].” Unfortunately, it was somewhat of a premonition.

One of the biggest transformations in Marilee Fiebig Holmes’ life came in 2013. Three years after saying her vows, she welcomed a daughter with her husband, T. J. Holmes. Over the next few years, Fiebig Holmes adjusted to life as Sabine’s mom. When talking to Marie Claire in 2019, she explained how she juggled being a mom to her daughter, then 6, and working full time. “My routine changes as she gets more independent,” she explained. “On mornings when I get it together to work out, I am up by 5 a.m. On days I don’t work out — which are probably more of my mornings — I get up no later than 6 a.m.”

She went on to say that she always ensured she was awake before Sabine so that she could give her breakfast and walk to school so they could spend important quality time together. Despite what appeared to be a great morning routine, Fiebig Holmes admitted that she often felt like they were still rushing to get out of the house.

Perhaps most interestingly, despite her success, Fiebig Holmes revealed that she still commuted to work via the subway.

Marilee Fiebig Holmes previously worked as an immigration lawyer after finishing university. Following her extensive work in that area, she moved into a role that even Miranda Priestly would find notable: the Vice President of Operations/General Counsel at New York’s prominent modeling agency, Wilhelmina. With her expertise in immigration, Fiebig Holmes was able to secure visas for models looking to come to the United States to work. Part of her job was to review model portfolios before deciding whether they might be a good candidate to secure their entry to America.

“Because we’re putting together a petition to prove that the model is, in fact, a model, they have to have the right type of work to show an established career,” Fiebig Holmes told Marie Claire. Once that part was squared away, the talented lawyer put together different supporting documents from those who have worked with the model and wrote a statement explaining why the model would be a great fit for the agency. Though we’ve made it sound relatively simple, it’s a tricky process that needs expertise from someone as educated as Fiebig Holmes.

According to her LinkedIn page, Fiebig Holmes worked for Wilhelmina for almost four years, from April 2016 up until January 2020.

In January 2020, it was time for Marilee Fiebig Holmes to jump from one interstellar corporate job to another. She announced her departure from Wilhelmina on Instagram in a sweet post dedicated to her time there. “After nearly four incredible years in one of my proudest roles as a high-ranking woman of color in the fashion world, today is my last day at Wilhelmina,” she wrote, alongside several photos, including a cake with “We will miss you, Marilee!” written in bold red icing. Fiebig Holmes went on to praise all of the people she worked with, crediting the company with helping her get in touch with her creative side. While admittedly bittersweet, her next role was worth it.

The talented lawyer moved onward and upward to become the Chief of Staff at Jay-Z’s company, Roc Nation. In an Instagram post for Unlock Her Potential, Fiebig Holmes was listed as “the CEO’s right hand on all Roc Nation platforms and business needs, including artist label and management, sports, publishing, licensing, branding, communications, partnerships and joint ventures.”

Though the high-flying job is impressive by anyone’s standards, it wasn’t a long-lasting partnership, and Fiebig Holmes left the company after 18 months.

There’s no doubt that Marilee Fiebig Holmes has had a truly inspiring career. She worked hard to become a force to be reckoned with in different industries, and the praise she garnered for it was rightly deserved — but she’s not done yet. After wrapping up her work with Roc Nation, Fiebig Holmes moved over to yet another prominent organization, Save the Children. The charity has been around for decades, helping kids in perilous situations across the world have a better future. In June 2021, she took to Instagram to announce her latest career move, sharing photographs from the company HQ.

“A new professional chapter, driven by passion and purpose, and a return to my DNA,” wrote Fiebig Holmes. “After a pandemic year that impacted children globally, threatening their health, safety, and education, it is important to do our part in the work that comes next.” Though she originally joined the company as the Senior Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, she was promoted to Chief Diversity Officer in 2022.

News anchor Amy Robach faced major consequences because of her affair with T. J. Holmes, but the biggest impact the romance had was on the co-host’s respective marriages. When the news broke in 2022, both Robach and Holmes were still married to their spouses. Marilee Fiebig Holmes and her husband of over 10 years filed for divorce in December 2022, a month after he was photographed being amorous with Robach. According to a Page Six source, Fiebig Holmes was “blindsided” by the affair and didn’t think her marriage was over.

“She’s devastated. She had no idea,” the insider revealed. “They haven’t been together in [a while], but they were trying to work it out. They were just together for T. J.’s birthday.” Despite speculation, Holmes and Robach later explained that they had both already split from their spouses; it just wasn’t public knowledge.

Talking on an episode of their joint podcast, “Amy and T.J.,” Holmes said (via the Independent), “Everyone else thought we were being outed as adulterous, being outed as cheating on our spouses, and it wasn’t the case.” According to him, divorce proceedings were already underway when the romance came to light. Either way, the scandal caused ABC to release Robach and Holmes from their contracts early, and Fiebig Holmes entered a new chapter in her life of single parenthood.

In late 2023, the unexpected way Amy Robach and T. J. Holmes’ exes rebounded had everyone talking. Believe it or not, it’s not unusual for the ex-spouses of cheating husbands and wives to get together themselves. Shania Twain famously married the ex-husband of the woman her husband left her for, so perhaps Marilee Fiebig Holmes is simply taking a leaf out of Twain’s book. Fiebig Holmes and Robach’s ex, Andrew Shue, reportedly started dating in 2023, around six months after the initial co-host cheating scandal came to light. While it would be easy to shrug it off as a simple fling to help them get over their exes, it seemed to be a serious relationship.

Roughly a year after they first struck up the romance, Shue and Fiebig Holmes were spotted in New York City kissing each other, with Shue even grabbing the butt of his lover before saying goodbye. A source told Page Six that their connection helped them to heal from the very public dissolution of their marriages. “It turned into something else, and they’re connected over their values,” claimed the insider.

Whether the romance will progress remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Marilee Fiebig Holmes is a true force of nature, both in her personal and professional life.