Stephanopoulos Anchoring ‘World News’ Tonight

If you’re watching ABC “World News” tonight and wondering where Charlie Gibson went, put away your spiral notebook of conspiracy theories, he’s on vacation. An ABC News spokesperson told TVNewser that Gibson had long planned to take a few days off around Labor Day. “He always planned to be off this Thursday and Friday,” says the flack.

George Stephanopoulos had been scheduled to fill-in months ago, but, with ABC’s announcement yesterday that Gibson would be retiring from “World News” and that Diane Sawyer would replace him, Gibson’s absence might have seemed particularly unusual. It appears the seemingly random timing of the Wednesday announcement was actually more carefully planned. “He wanted to do it before he left town,” the spokesperson told us.

Gibson will be back for his show Tuesday. Stephanopoulos will sub tonight and tomorrow. David Muir will be in on Monday.

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