A former “Good Morning America” host is opening up about the struggles she faced behind the scenes after a major life change turned everything upside down at work. Janai Norman was a weekend co-anchor for almost four years on the ABC show when media outlets announced she would be cut. Norman took on the role in 2022 after working various jobs with ABC since 2016. In 2019, she became the host of their Pop News weekend segments. But conflicting reports suggest she walked away on her own terms, while others say a decision was made for her. Former ‘Good Morning America” host Janai Norman is coming clean about her journey following her shocking exit from the shpw. (Photo: janai.norman/Instagram) Norman is mourning weeks after she announced her abrupt exit from the show back in April. The former talk show host told her followers and fans that she “hoped that we’d have more time” but offered no direct explanation. But it came as a shock to many when a source close to the show runners made contradicting claims tied to her contract. Michael Strahan Missing In Action on ‘GMA’ and Other Shows, Here’s Why Fans Think He Could Be Planning His Exit ‘WTF Does That Mean’: Donald Trump Sparks Fury After Patting ‘Good’ Black Reporter ‘Like a Dog’; the Moment Took a Turn When Viewers Zoomed In Months later, Norman is ready to open up about how she nearly crumbled under the pressures of the job. With gratitude love. More in time pic.twitter.com/a12C2guzso— Janai Norman (@janai) April 3, 2026 On May 8, Norman announced the upcoming release of her new memoir, aptly titled “Breaking.” Part of that pressure she faced appeared to begin during a painful chapter in 2022. Norman learned that her paternal grandmother had passed away. She had been co-anchor of “GMA’s” weekend edition only a few months prior.  Even though Norman hadn’t fully grieved, she still volunteered to cover the devastating hurricane, which she now admits was “really bad idea, in hindsight.” On top of her grandmother’s passing, she now had to carry the emotional toll of Hurricane Ian, that tragicially claimed the lives of 161 people across Florida, Cuba, North Carolina, and Virginia. Normal told PEOPLE she wasn’t “equipped” to handle it and “was basically breaking under the weight of it all.” It was so taxing on her that she even began to have thoughts about harming herself. After, she felt the need to seek therapy and check herself into a psychiatric unit. While there, she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.  “That really shifted my relationship with so many aspects of my life, but especially with work. It really helped me separate my worth from my work. What I did for a paycheck was no longer tied to my sense of purpose,” Norman explained. “That was really the work of choosing myself and breaking news barriers and stigmas along the way.” She said writing her memoir was “therapeutic” and helped her remember to continue to choose yourself.  “Checking myself into the hospital, asking for help, getting the help, getting the diagnosis — that’s what pointed me in the direction of the right kind of therapy that finally started making a difference for me,” she told PEOPLE. As a longtime advocate and lead for several mental health segments on “GMA,” fans of the show celebrated Norman’s transparency and news about her book online. https://t.co/1wDokty5uv— Janai Norman (@janai) May 8, 2026 One person said, “Hope you know how strong and resilient you are! Thank you for sharing your journey and shedding light on mental health!” Someone else wrote, “We love you Janai…keep your head to the sky. YOU GOT THIS.” Others reflected on her recent firing from GMA. One person said, “I’m very upset that GMA let her go. She was always a bright light.” Another person who felt similarly typed, “They should’ve kept her. I thought she was fantastic. I loved watching her.” Back in April, a source told the Daily Mail that she was fired because “Her contract was up. There was a decision not to renew.” On April 3, the mother-of-three posted a video addressing fans, followers and peers about her abrupt departure.  She said, “I’d hoped that we’d have more time. It’s been hard on me that our time was cut short. I have loved my job. It has been a joy to connect with my coworkers and with viewers to help keep you informed and entertained and to create this community. So, it really breaks my heart that I don’t get to say goodbye. I’m so sorry that I don’t get to say goodbye. It would have been fun.” However, looking at the bright side of the situation, she got the last laugh. “I have these three young kids and I have worked weekends their whole lives. And so now they get more of me and that is worth everything,” she said before adding, “stay tuned.” Since reports about her exit, Norman and her husband, Charlie Norman, listed their six-bedroom New Jersey home for $3.2 million on April 30. The mansion includes five-and-a-half bathrooms and a three-car garage. Inside are high ceilings, a chef’s kitchen, a banquet-sized dining room, a large great room with a fireplace, and an indoor gym. Outside, the property features a private backyard oasis with a fire pit. No word on where they plan to move next. But Norman’s book “Breaking” will be released on January 5, 2027. ‘What I Did for a Check’: Former ‘GMA’ Host Admits the Crumbling Pressures of Work Once Forced Her to Check Into a Mental Hospital Weeks After Exit ...read more read less