joan lunden

Joan Elise Blunden, known professionally as Joan Lunden, was born on September 19, 1950, in Fair Oaks, California. Her early life was marked by her father’s passing in a plane crash in 1964, a period during which she connected with her childhood friend Jed Johnson, who later became a significant figure in her life. Lunden commenced her broadcasting career in 1973 as a trainee at KCRA-TV in Sacramento, California. Within two years, she advanced to co-anchor of the daily noon news program, where she also produced broadcasts and hosted television specials. In 1975, Lunden moved to New York City, joining WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News. At this time, her name was changed to avoid mispronunciation, a common practice in broadcasting to ensure clarity.

Lunden’s career escalated significantly when she joined “Good Morning America” (GMA) in the fall of 1976 as a feature news and consumer reporter. She quickly became a fill-in co-host before assuming the role of co-host alongside David Hartman in 1980. Over her 17-year tenure until 1997, Lunden became the longest-running female host in early-morning television. During this period, she reported from 26 countries, covered four presidents, five Olympic Games, and two royal weddings. Her investigative journalism took her to diverse locales, undertaking challenging assignments such as rappelling Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier, bungee-jumping, and paragliding off a 2,000-foot mountain in New Zealand. These experiences underscored her dedication to providing comprehensive coverage of global events and human interest stories. In 1996, her emotional on-air remembrance of her friend Jed Johnson, a victim of the TWA Flight 800 crash, and her acknowledgment of his domestic partner, garnered praise for its sensitivity and accurate representation of personal relationships.

After leaving GMA, Lunden continued her career as a host for A&E’s “Behind Closed Doors” and frequently guest-hosted “Biography.” She also focused on health and wellness advocacy, becoming a best-selling author of over ten books covering parenting, health, and resilience. Her work includes titles like “Wake-Up Calls” and “Joan Lunden’s Healthy Living.” In 2014, she returned to morning television as a special correspondent for NBC’s “Today” show, and in 2021, she became the host of the public television program “Second Opinion.” Beyond her media presence, Lunden is a dedicated public speaker, particularly on breast cancer awareness, following her own diagnosis in 2014. She has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Spirit of Achievement Award from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the WWE Warrior Award in 2016.