ABC's Sam Champion being operated on live on TV

[May 13, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- ABC weatherman Sam Champion will have skin cancer cells removed from his shoulders live on "Good Morning America" as part of an odd television trend: surgery at breakfast time.

All three network morning shows have shown medical procedures over the past couple of months. CBS' Harry Smith had a live colonoscopy on "The Early Show" in March. NBC's "Today" show went in to operating rooms to show brain and heart surgeries and the birth of a baby by C-section.

ABC says Champion is televising his surgery Wednesday to raise awareness about skin cancer prevention. An area on his shoulder tested positive for basal cell carcinoma. He's had procedures four times before to remove cancerous cells.

The best-known morning show procedure happened several years ago when Katie Couric underwent a colonoscopy for the "Today" show.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.