dianesawyer

Now it's official: On this morning's broadcast of 'Good Morning America,' co-host Diane Sawyer confirmed what industry wags had predicted all along: she'll leave 'GMA' at the end of this week in preparation for taking over for Charles Gibson, who leaves 'World News' on Dec. 18.

Sawyer will begin anchoring 'World News' Dec. 21, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

With Sawyer's departure from 'GMA,' there's a seat on that program left to be filled -- and late last week we reported that George Stephanopoulos, ABC News' chief Washington correspondent and longtime host of the Sunday morning news program 'This Week', has been offered the gig, although no official word has been made.

If confirmed, this will also leave a hole in 'This Week' to be filled, perhaps by Robin Roberts, next year.

R&B singer Rihanna talked for the first time about her tumultuous relationship with recording artist Chris Brown in an interview with Diane Sawyer on 'Good Morning America.'

Last February, Brown beat Rihanna during a heated argument while they sat in his car. Brown later received 180 days community labor, five years of probation and one year of domestic violence counseling for the beating.

A brave-faced Rihanna confessed to being ashamed of what happened between her and Brown. "There are a lot of women who experienced what I did, but not in the public. So, it made it really difficult," she told Sawyer. "I just felt, 'Oh my god, here goes my little bit of privacy.' It's something that nobody wants anybody to know."