Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes say they were outed for 'being in a relationship,' not for 'cheating on our spouses'

• Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes opened up about their controversial relationship on a new podcast series.
• The former "GMA3" cohosts left ABC News in January after their romantic relationship was revealed.
• The couple says that they were separated from their spouses when the relationship started.

Former "GMA3" cohosts Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes have opened up about their controversial relationship on a new podcast series, "Amy & T.J."

The couple parted ways with ABC News in January after photos surfaced online last year that showed Robach and Holmes — who were then married to other people — outside of work, including a photo of them holding hands.

On Tuesday's introductory episode of "Amy & T.J.," the former ABC anchors said that there was nothing untoward about how their romantic relationship began, and that they were separated from their former partners at the time.

"To be clear, we were outed as being in a relationship," Holmes said. "But everyone else thought we were being outed as adulterers, being outed as cheating on our spouses, and it wasn't the case."

Holmes went on to say that he and Robach are "the folks who lost the jobs we love because we love each other."

Robach said that when the photos of her and Holmes first emerged last November, her close friends knew that she was in the middle of divorcing her husband, Andrew Shue.

"I took my ring off early August. It was very clear to anyone who knew me that I was in the middle of a divorce," she said.

Meanwhile, Holmes' family didn't know that he had broken up with Marilee Fiebig, his wife of over 10 years.

He acknowledged that he and Robach made a mistake by not making their respective separations public.

"We shouldn't have allowed — and I could say that in hindsight — for folks to find out about our relationship before they found out about our divorces," he added.

According to Robach, they were trying to protect their families from potential backlash.

"We thought we were protecting our children and our families, and we thought we had time," she said. "And we thought we had a right to privacy. And maybe that was foolish and silly."

The couple also discussed the difficulties they've faced since their romantic relationship was made public.

Robach recalled one moment after they left "GMA3" when she rushed to Holmes' apartment.

Robach became concerned about Holmes' welfare after receiving trouble text messages from Holmes, who had been drinking vodka and taking edibles.

"I ran to you and said, 'T.J.,' and you didn't move," Robach said. "It was the most awful thing having to touch your body and see if you were warm. I was so afraid. You were just incoherent."