ABC viewers divided over David Muir stand in as his mysterious absence continues

David Muir on World News Tonight© ABC via Getty Images

Viewers of World News Tonight are divided over anchor David Muir’s substitute as his mysterious absence continued into the August 22 episode.

ABC News’ Senior Political Correspondent, Rachel Scott, once again greeted viewers on Friday night. She dived into the episode’s segments, including one about radioactive shrimp. When cameras returned to her, she again informed viewers she was filling in for Muir, but did not divulge the reason for his absence.

The Mirror US reached out to Muir and ABC News for comment after he was missing from World News Tonight’s Thursday, August 21, episode. Over the last couple of days, viewers have expressed their divided opinions about Scott’s filling in for Muir.

During the August 21 episode, one social media user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, of Scott, “Rachel Scott substituting anchoring for @ABC David Muir is awful. Her expression is angry and she voices over the open like she was running the 50 yard dash or catching a train.”

Rachel Scott© Reach Publishing Services Limited

Now, after the August 22 episode, one added that Scott should replace Muir, writing, “You should leave either Rachel Scott or Whit Johnson on and get rid of David Muir.”

The person continued, “He’s boring, wears the same suit and skinny tie, and looks like he’s having to hold down his desk. I switched back to CBS and never thought I would…” Another person added, “Where in the hell is David Muir? He’s been out for over 2 weeks.”

Muir’s absence this week comes after ABC announced in a press release on August 19 that World News Tonight With David Muir is the No. 1 program across all television for 14 weeks straight. The news broadcast’s total viewers in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 have also grown week after week.

World News Tonight is also the No. 1 newscast in total viewers for the ninth year straight, ahead of NBC by the largest margin in 30 years and CBS in five years. It is the No. 1 newscast in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 for the sixth season in a row, ahead of NBC and CBS by double digits.

Rachel Scott© Reach Publishing Services Limited

World News Tonight with David Muir was the No. 1 program in total viewers with 7.006 million on all of broadcast and cable during the week of Aug. 11, 2025, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.

Meanwhile, the world of late-night has been thrown into the unknown. Some are fearing what Stephen Colbert’s firing from The Late Show With Stephen Colbert could mean. The entertainment industry will have a better sense of what’s happening to late-night next year when Disney decides the fate of Jimmy Kimmel’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.

While NBC recently extended the contracts of its two late-night hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, into 2028, Kimmel’s contract is set to conclude in 2026.