George Stephanopoulos replaced on GMA as co-stars are joined by new anchor

George Stephanopoulos was noticeably absent from Thursday's Good Morning America , with Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan sitting alongside another familiar face.

The best-selling author's absence went unexplained at the start of the show, but instead, Linsey Davis keeping his seat warm.

While George hasn't shared any details of his whereabouts on social media, it's likely that he's taken some time off to spend with his family, ahead of his daughters' return to college for the fall term.

The doting dad shares Elliott, 21, and Harper, 19, with wife Ali Wentworth, and Ali recently had a message exchange with George's co-star Lara Spencer concerning a Nashville meetup - where Harper studies.

That's because Lara's daughter Katharine attends the same college, Vanderbilt University, as Harper, and they made reference to seeing each other there soon.

The Go Ask Ali podcast star had shared a photo of herself "foraging" on Instagram, resulting in Lara writing: "We love to dig for treasure – in the mud, thru flea markets. You name it.......we dig it. Can't wait to see you in Nash."

The family are incredibly close and have enjoyed spending quality time together during the summer months. Along with an apartment in New York City, they also have a beautiful house in the Hamptons, where they have spent the majority of the weeks.

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Ali is more active on social media than her husband and recently shared a glimpse inside their beachside property in a relatable post.

She had chosen to upload a picture of the property's porch, which had been taken over by one of their daughters and a bunch of her friends.

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On the floor, multiple pairs of shoes were spread out across the floor in the otherwise pristine home."I guess a few girls slept over," Ali wrote in the caption.

The photo also gave a glimpse into the property itself, which was decorated beautifully, complete with a side table with a bunch of coffee table books stacked neatly on top of it, and a jar filled with shells. There was also artwork decorating the area.

The house boasts 5 bedrooms, 6 and a half bathrooms, along with a media room, games room and basement, complete with 1,000 bottles of wine.

The garden, meanwhile, also features a swimming pool and tennis courts.The couple previously listed their property for $5.995 million back in February 2018, but decided to take it off the market.

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George and Ali have been married since 2002 and they opened up about the beginning of their love story during at a book signing in Sarasota back in 2012.

"I didn't care about politics, and figured he'd be the last person I'd be interested in," Ali said. "I was holding out for Hugh Grant or Matthew Perry."

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After agreeing to go on the blind date to please her friend, Ali realised that she had a lot in common with George, even ordering the same meal – a crab salad – and proceeded to talk for hours.George told New York Times: "You know how when you go on a date and the first 15 minutes are on automatic pilot? About 15 minutes in, she just leaned in and said something, and we were suddenly in another place, in another universe, immediately. We went from strangers to friends to being in love in days."