After illness, 6ABC’s Jim Gardner returning to ‘Action News’

Gardner has been anchoring “Action News” since 1977. So when he misses a few days, viewers notice.

6ABC anchor Jim Gardner, seen here in 2013 working at his desk in the station's newsroom.Read more

Published Oct. 4, 2021, 6:50 a.m. ET

Don’t worry, Philadelphia — Jim Gardner is fine.

Gardner, the beloved anchor of 6ABC’s nightly Action News, is something of an institution across the Delaware Valley. So when he’s off the air for several days, viewers tend to notice.

Last week, Gardner, 73, was supposed to be one of the moderators for the first New Jersey gubernatorial debate between incumbent Democrat Phil Murphy and his Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli. Instead, Gardner was replaced at the last minute by fellow 6ABC anchor Brian Taff, and hasn’t appeared on air since.

So what happened? According to Gardner, nothing big — he missed two days early last week due to an unspecified illness, and had already scheduled off the rest of the week.

“Nothing of concern, just under the weather earlier this week,” Mike Monsell, vice president of marketing at 6ABC, told the Inquirer.

Gardner said he plans to return to the Action News desk Monday, where he’ll anchor the same 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts he’s been doing since 1977.

“It’s been said that our viewers think of us as family, so if one of us is under the weather for a few days, they worry,” Gardner said. “We appreciate that we have a unique relationship with our viewers. It’s one of the things that motivates us every day.

“And by the way, I’m fine,” Gardner added.

Ali Gorman moves on from 6ABC

Ali Gorman, 6ABC’s longtime health reporter, announced on social media that she’s moving on from the station after 13 years.

“Thank you to our amazing viewers,” Gorman wrote. “It’s been an honor bringing you the latest health news especially during the pandemic.”

Gorman, a South Jersey native, joined 6ABC as a health and medical reporter in 2008 after stints in Jacksonville, Fla., and Lansing, Mich. She’s also a registered nurse, and served four years in the Navy’s Nurse Corps.

Throughout the pandemic, Gorman provided updates and often countered COVID-19 misinformation on Action News during segments titled “Ask Ali.” She also adopted her 2-year-old son, Grayson, in July, after having fostered him since he was a newborn.

“I will miss my “Action News family” but I’m looking forward to my next adventure,” Gorman wrote.