The Good Morning America anchor was replaced by Linsey Davis on Monday November 20

Michael Strahan has been missing a lot of shows on Good Morning America recently due to personal family matters, and the popular TV star was noticeably off again on Monday November 20. 

Instead of Michael sitting alongside George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts, Linsey Davis was there instead to keep his seat warm. 

Fans need not worry as Michael has been absent from Monday episodes for a bit of time now, due to schedule clashes with his role on Fox NFL Sundays, which he hosts from LA. 

However, it is likely that Michael will be off later this week too, as it's Thanksgiving on Thursday, while on Tuesday November 21, the star will be celebrating his 52nd birthday. 

These celebratory occasions will no doubt be cherished by the doting dad-of-four, who has been facing a worrying time in his family life. 

While he hasn't disclosed too much himself, an ABC spokesperson told HELLO! earlier in November that Michael's lengthy absence on the show was due to a "personal family matter".

He eventually returned to GMA on November 15, and received a warm welcome from his co-stars George and Robin. 

"We have tears of joy," Robin said as she looked fondly at her friend and colleague. "Because Michael is back." George was nodding his head as Michael then added: "It is great to be back with both of you. It is great to be back. Thank you guys." 

It's been a year of big change for Michael, who like his GMA co-stars George and Lara Spencer, became an empty nester at the end of August, following his 18-year-old twins' enrolment at college. 

Isabella has moved to California to study at the University of Southern California, while Sophia went off to Duke College in North Carolina. The star's apartment - located in the Upper West Side - no doubt feels very quiet now that his youngest children have flown the nest. 

He is also father to grown-up children, Michael Jr. and Tanita, who he shares with his ex-wife Wanda Hutchins. 

While it will be empty and quiet without his girls at home, he will be kept company by his two beloved dogs, Enzo and Zuma. Zuma was a recent addition to the family, with the star introducing their new four-legged friend on social media earlier this year. 

While the star loves meeting fans, when it comes to his downtime, he enjoys nothing more than going unnoticed in his neighbourhood. 

Talking about the relaxed area of NYC during an interview with the New York Times, he said: "I like the Upper West Side, because, being a father, I like the family feel to it. You see mothers with strollers, people walking their dogs. One thing I love about the neighbourhood, when you go into places, it's not like, 'Michael!' I'm another person who's just there."

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