Robin Roberts is back at work! After undergoing a bone marrow transplant last September, the Good Morning America anchor returned to the studio for the first time Thursday, Jan. 24 for an off-camera appearance.
"What a thrill to be back at GMA's Times Square Studio this morning and see the best folks in the world, my GMA family," Roberts, 51, who was photographed from behind-the-scenes, said during an interview not on TV. "I can't wait to get back to the anchor chair in a few weeks."
The ABC host is gradually easing her way back onto the show and will be doing "test-runs" for a couple weeks, she said. During an interview from her NYC home last week, Roberts explained: "After I go through this dry run, my doctors will sit down with me again and we'll evaluate where I am. I should be back sometime in February . . . I have a date in mind that's very personal and very important to me, but I will ultimately listen to, of course, what my doctors say . . . There are a lot of factors still."
Roberts is still recovering from lingering symptoms, including sensitive skin and blurred vision after undergoing her transplant to treat myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood and bone marrow disorder.
For her first day back, Roberts practiced waking up at 3:45 a.m. and heading into the studio at 5 a.m. "My doctors want me to see how many people I actually come in contact with," she explained; because the star's immune system is still rebuilding itself, she must still be vigilant about how many people she comes into contact with. "How my body reacts to the stimulation, that's code word for stress, of being in the studio environment."
