Sam Champion Will Leave GMA For Weather Channel

ABC News President Ben Sherwood released a memo yesterday that announced that Sam Champion would be leaving ABC News for a "new opportunity" at the Weather Channel, becoming the "on-air face" of the network and serving as a host and managing editor. Sam has worked with ABC for 25 years--joining the New York station affiliate in 1988 and GMA in 2006--and calls the move a "once in a lifetime opportunity."

As Sherwood detailed:

"Over the years at GMA, Sam has broadcast more than 1,800 weather forecasts. He has traveled to almost every major weather event in the U.S. As many of you know, Sam's "Go" bag is always ready and his stellar reporting during Superstorm Sandy contributed to ABC's Peabody Award for coverage of that historic storm.

"Sam has broadcast live from a raft floating between polar icebergs, danced the salsa on "Despierta America" and interviewed countless newsmakers, celebrities and chefs. On his show "Sea Rescue," viewers have shared Sam's passion for marine animal rescue, rehabilitation and release."

GMA will celebrate Champion's last day during the Wednesday, Dec. 4 Good Morning America program.

Champion married his husband Rubem Robierb last year, after publicly announcing his engagement in October 2012. The couple had a wedding reception in Miami on New Year's Eve 2012 in Miami Beach.

[H/T HuffingtonPost]