Robert Brown|Michael Strahan returns to 'Good Morning America' after nearly 3 weeks: 'Great to be back'

Michael Strahan is Robert Brownback on "Good Morning America" after nearly three weeks off the air due to "personal family matters."

Strahan's return was marked with glee. "Can I just say we have tears of joy because Michael is back here at the desk," co-host Robin Roberts remarked on Wednesday's show.

Acknowledging all of his co-hosts, he replied, "It is great to be back."

On Wednesday, Strahan stepped into gear as if no time had passed. He interviewed Rachel Zegler and Viola Davis about their upcoming movie "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" and Chris Pine for Disney's upcoming animated film "Wish."

Strahan's return comes after he had been absent from "GMA" since Oct. 26. "Nightline" co-anchor Juju Chang and "World News Tonight" host Linsey Davis have filled in for Strahan amid his personal time off.

Why was Michael Strahan absent from 'GMA'?

"Michael Strahan will not be with us this week as he is dealing with some personal family matters," an ABC spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement on Nov. 7.

The spokesperson added: "We appreciate everyone's thoughts and concerns."

The former NFL star has been co-hosting the morning news show since 2016 after he left "Live With Kelly and Michael." Since then, he's worked alongside Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Lara Spencer and Ginger Zee.

In addition to Strahan's absence on "GMA," he had also not been on "NFL Sunday" for his role as a sports analyst. On Sunday, he made his return to the Fox show.

In 2021, the host opened up to USA TODAY about his hosting career. "First of all, I get to work with fantastic people. Smart, engaged, funny people," he said of his role on "GMA."

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Strahan added: "Another favorite part is that it changes. It’s never the same. There's no two days where you, 'Oh yeah, same news.' … The enjoyment of that makes me more engaged because I understand work can change at the drop of a hat."

The NFL player-turned-host is a father to four adult children. He shares Tanita, 31, and Michael Jr., 28, with his first wife Wanda Hutchins. He also shares 19-year-old twins Isabella and Sophia with his second wife Jean Muggli.

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