ABC News anchor Bill Ritter made headlines last month after he shared that he was stepping down from his role due to health issues during a broadcast. Since then, however, he has received support from a figure who also has a history with the network. This was Deborah Roberts, who shared another connection to Ritter’s story.
Deborah Roberts & Bill Ritter Both Are ABC News Alumni
Ritter started working at WABC-TV in 1998. Initially anchoring weekend broadcasts, he also worked as a correspondent for ABC News and 20/20. The following year, he became the permanent 11 PM anchor, taking over for Bill Beutel. Throughout his career, he also worked for Good Morning America and Eyewitness News.
For her part, Roberts moved to ABC News in 1995. Over the years, she would lend her talents to 20/20, World News Tonight Weekend, and Good Morning America. In her personal life, she is also known for her marriage to NBC’s Today‘s Al Roker.
As previously reported, Ritter recently walked away from his daily anchor desk, announcing his decision in June 2026. At the time, he shared that he was dealing with an early-stage Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.
Since then, Ritter and Roberts shared a little reunion on social media. Roberts shared a photo of both of them smiling for a selfie on Instagram.
During Her Share, Roberts Thanked Ritter For His ‘Courage, Kindness, & Determination’
Roberts shared, “This guy is one of my newest heroes. Bill Ritter and I have worked alongside each other for many years [at ABC News.] He’s one of the most recognizable faces on WABC.”
Roberts noted the personal connection that she has to what Ritter is going through. As she explained, “Recently he announced, on air, that he’s living with Alzheimer’s disease. It pricked my heart deeply and personally since I lost both my mom and my oldest sister to complications from Alzheimer’s.”
Roberts praised Ritter for his share, all the while highlighting just how important it was to share these stories. She continued, “Fortunately for us all, Bill will continue reporting on his journey and medical discoveries about this awful disease of fog and memory loss which devastates millions of families each year. He tells me that it will affect more of us as we age and that we need more national commitment to help caregivers and those battling.”
Roberts concluded the post, “Thank you, Bill, for your courage, kindness and determination to fight and to lead the charge in this massive war against dementia. We’ll be watching your urgent reporting.”
What is your reaction to Deborah Roberts and Bill Ritter’s recent share? Have you been following this story? Are you keeping up with Good Morning America? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
