Co-Hosts of 'The View' Through the Years (and Why They Left the Talk Show)

01of 23Barbara WaltersThe View/InstagramYears on the show:1997-2014The prolific journalist Barbara Walters is the mastermind behindThe View. She put together the initial panel of women, serving on it herself from 1997 until she retired in 2014.Walters, then 84, toldVarietyin 2014, “I don’t feel like I’m being pushed out. This was my decision. I should really be depressed, but I’m not. So maybe there’s something wrong with me. What’s wrong with this woman that she’s not depressed about leaving television?”

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Barbara Walters

The View/Instagram

Years on the show:1997-2014

The prolific journalist Barbara Walters is the mastermind behindThe View. She put together the initial panel of women, serving on it herself from 1997 until she retired in 2014.

Walters, then 84, toldVarietyin 2014, “I don’t feel like I’m being pushed out. This was my decision. I should really be depressed, but I’m not. So maybe there’s something wrong with me. What’s wrong with this woman that she’s not depressed about leaving television?”

02of 23Meredith VieiraPeter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire/GettyYears on the show:1997-2006Vieira served an important role onThe View— that of the moderator — for nearly a decade. She left amicably in 2006 to take over for Katie Couric on theTodayshow.

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Meredith Vieira

Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire/Getty

Years on the show:1997-2006

Vieira served an important role onThe View— that of the moderator — for nearly a decade. She left amicably in 2006 to take over for Katie Couric on theTodayshow.

03of 23Debbie MatenopoulosFrazer Harrison/GettyYears on the show:1997-1999The youngest of the original panelists, Matenopoulos was just 22 years old when she auditioned forThe View. She lasted for two seasons before she was let go.

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Debbie Matenopoulos

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Years on the show:1997-1999

The youngest of the original panelists, Matenopoulos was just 22 years old when she auditioned forThe View. She lasted for two seasons before she was let go.

04of 23Star JonesStar Jones.Theo Wargo/GettyYears on the show:1997-2006After nearly a decade, Jones left the show, announcing her departure live on the air and reportedly throwing Walters for a loop.In an interview with PEOPLE at the time, Jones revealed that her contract was not renewed, saying, “I feel like I was fired.”

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Star Jones

Star Jones.Theo Wargo/Getty

After nearly a decade, Jones left the show, announcing her departure live on the air and reportedly throwing Walters for a loop.

In an interview with PEOPLE at the time, Jones revealed that her contract was not renewed, saying, “I feel like I was fired.”

05of 23Joy BeharLou Rocco/Walt Disney Television/GettyYears on the show:1997-2013, 2015-presentBehar is the longest-running host on the show: She joined the panel in 1997, staying on until 2013, when she took a hiatus to host her own talk show. She returned in 2015 and continues to serve on the panel.

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Joy Behar

Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television/Getty

Years on the show:1997-2013, 2015-present

Behar is the longest-running host on the show: She joined the panel in 1997, staying on until 2013, when she took a hiatus to host her own talk show. She returned in 2015 and continues to serve on the panel.

06of 23Lisa LingGetty ImagesYears on the show:1999-2002Ling came on the show to replace Matenopoulos, and served on the panel for two years before leaving to pursue a career as a reporter.Ramin Setoodeh, author ofLadies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, toldSalonof Ling’s departure, “One of the things I uncovered in my reporting was that Lisa was actually fired from the show. We all thought as viewers Lisa wanted to move on and to do other kinds of reporting, but they felt that the numbers weren’t going up with Lisa at the table.”

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Lisa Ling

Getty Images

Years on the show:1999-2002

Ling came on the show to replace Matenopoulos, and served on the panel for two years before leaving to pursue a career as a reporter.

Ramin Setoodeh, author ofLadies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, toldSalonof Ling’s departure, “One of the things I uncovered in my reporting was that Lisa was actually fired from the show. We all thought as viewers Lisa wanted to move on and to do other kinds of reporting, but they felt that the numbers weren’t going up with Lisa at the table.”

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Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Terry Wyatt/Getty.

Years on the show:2003-2013

Hasselbeck was the show’s first outspoken conservative co-host, joining the panel in 2003 and leaving a decade later in 2013. During that decade, she took part in many a tiff with her co-hosts.

08of 23Rosie O’DonnellLou Rocco/ABCYears on the show:2006, 2014-2015O’Donnell came onto the show in 2006 and abruptly left months later. The exit came after an on-air verbal sparring match over the Iraq war.“The day it happened, I was definitely crying,” O’Donnell toldVariety. “I got my stuff and walked out.“She returned in 2014, butleft again at the end of the season, citing personal reasons.

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Rosie O’Donnell

Lou Rocco/ABC

Years on the show:2006, 2014-2015

O’Donnell came onto the show in 2006 and abruptly left months later. The exit came after an on-air verbal sparring match over the Iraq war.

“The day it happened, I was definitely crying,” O’Donnell toldVariety. “I got my stuff and walked out.”

She returned in 2014, butleft again at the end of the season, citing personal reasons.

09of 23Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg.ABCYears on the show:2007-presentGoldberg has been a fixture on the show since 2007, serving as the moderator for the show’s “Hot Topics” segment and often acting as the voice of reason.

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Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg.ABC

Years on the show:2007-present

Goldberg has been a fixture on the show since 2007, serving as the moderator for the show’s “Hot Topics” segment and often acting as the voice of reason.

10of 23Sherri ShepherdThe View panel in 2007.ABC/STEVE FENNYears on the show:2007-2014Shepherd was on the show for seven years and was part of the mass exodus that occurred when Walters retired in 2014.At the time, an insider toldVariety, “Sherri’s ask was astronomical and was not financially possible for the show,” though Shepherd’s representative told the outlet that her salary “was commensurate with a co-host with her credits who has been at the table for seven years.“Ultimately, ABC did not renew Shepherd’s contract.The actress toldETin 2018 that shewould never return to the panel, saying, “The Viewwas one of the best experiences of my life being close to Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg, my idol, and it was the best eight years, but it’s like going back to an old boyfriend and sleeping with them again. You look up and go, ‘How did we get here?’ "

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Sherri Shepherd

The View panel in 2007.ABC/STEVE FENN

Years on the show:2007-2014

Shepherd was on the show for seven years and was part of the mass exodus that occurred when Walters retired in 2014.At the time, an insider toldVariety, “Sherri’s ask was astronomical and was not financially possible for the show,” though Shepherd’s representative told the outlet that her salary “was commensurate with a co-host with her credits who has been at the table for seven years.”

Ultimately, ABC did not renew Shepherd’s contract.

The actress toldETin 2018 that shewould never return to the panel, saying, “The Viewwas one of the best experiences of my life being close to Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg, my idol, and it was the best eight years, but it’s like going back to an old boyfriend and sleeping with them again. You look up and go, ‘How did we get here?’ "

11of 23Jenny McCarthyDonna Svennevik/ABCYears on the show:2013-2014McCarthy joined the panel to bring the show in a less political direction after Hasselbeck’s departure. She left after just one season, fired on the same day as Shepherd.In Setoodeh’s book,McCarthy said that her year on the show was “miserable.“She likened working with Walters to the filmMommie Dearest,saying,“I’ve never seen a woman yell like that before until I worked with Barbara Walters.”

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Jenny McCarthy

Donna Svennevik/ABC

Years on the show:2013-2014

McCarthy joined the panel to bring the show in a less political direction after Hasselbeck’s departure. She left after just one season, fired on the same day as Shepherd.

In Setoodeh’s book,McCarthy said that her year on the show was “miserable.“She likened working with Walters to the filmMommie Dearest,saying,“I’ve never seen a woman yell like that before until I worked with Barbara Walters.”

12of 23Rosie PerezLou Rocco/GettyYears on the show:2014-2015The first ever Latina to co-host, Perez only lasted for one year on the panel, leaving in 2015 to continue her acting career.Perez issued a tearful farewell on-air and toldThe Hollywood Reportershe gave her colleagues a heads-up, unlike some of her predecessors.“I told Nicolle Wallace first. It was a hard call,” the actress said. “I waited on Whoopi because I didn’t have the nerve to call her. But they were like, ‘We get it.’ Nicolle was like, ‘Oh, we’ll be so sad.’ And Whoopi was like, ‘Is this what you want to do?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And she said, ‘Then I’m all for it, and I love you. We’ll always still be friends.'”

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Rosie Perez

Lou Rocco/Getty

Years on the show:2014-2015

The first ever Latina to co-host, Perez only lasted for one year on the panel, leaving in 2015 to continue her acting career.

Perez issued a tearful farewell on-air and toldThe Hollywood Reportershe gave her colleagues a heads-up, unlike some of her predecessors.

“I told Nicolle Wallace first. It was a hard call,” the actress said. “I waited on Whoopi because I didn’t have the nerve to call her. But they were like, ‘We get it.’ Nicolle was like, ‘Oh, we’ll be so sad.’ And Whoopi was like, ‘Is this what you want to do?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And she said, ‘Then I’m all for it, and I love you. We’ll always still be friends.'”

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Nicolle Wallace

Nicolle Wallace onThe View.Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television

Like Perez, Wallace only lasted for one season onThe View, tellingThe Los Angeles Times,“I loved it.”

Unfortunately, the network had other plans and Wallace, a former White House Communications Director, was let go.

14of 23Raven-SymonéRaven-Symoné.Years on the show:2015-2016The former Disney Channel star was on the show for one season before leaving to work on the reboot ofThat’s So Raven.Symoné’s time at the table was not exactly smooth: in November 2015, a Change.org petition circulated calling for her removal. At the time, a spokesperson for ABC said in a statement, “We love Raven. She is confident, genuine and opinionated, all qualities that make her a great addition to the panel.”

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Raven-Symoné

Raven-Symoné.

Years on the show:2015-2016

The former Disney Channel star was on the show for one season before leaving to work on the reboot ofThat’s So Raven.

Symoné’s time at the table was not exactly smooth: in November 2015, a Change.org petition circulated calling for her removal. At the time, a spokesperson for ABC said in a statement, “We love Raven. She is confident, genuine and opinionated, all qualities that make her a great addition to the panel.”

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Candace Cameron Bure

Candace Cameron Bure.Steven Ferdman/Getty

TheFull Housealumna, who was a co-host on the show from 2015 to 2016, had been commuting between L.A. and N.Y.C. for filming. In 2016, she announced she was leaving, saying at one point, “I tried to be Superwoman, but I’m going to not try anymore.”

She added that “the commute of going West Coast to East Coast every week for me has been tough on me and hard for my family as well.” She added, “I want to make sure that I’m able to spend as much time with my children and invest in all of the projects that I do to the fullest extent.”

16of 23Michelle CollinsLou Rocco/ABC/GettyYears on the show:2015-2016Comedian Collins lasted one season on the program, and her contract was not renewed in 2016, in part because her time on the show was filled with controversy. She seemingly caused ABC to lose advertisers after a discussion in which she criticized nurses, and later came under fire for mocking Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina’s face.

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Michelle Collins

Lou Rocco/ABC/Getty

Comedian Collins lasted one season on the program, and her contract was not renewed in 2016, in part because her time on the show was filled with controversy. She seemingly caused ABC to lose advertisers after a discussion in which she criticized nurses, and later came under fire for mocking Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina’s face.

17of 23Paula FarisLou Rocco/ABC via GettyYears on the show:2015-2018Journalist and formerGood Morning America Weekendanchor Faris was on the show for three years before leaving in 2018. After her departure, she became a senior national correspondent for ABC News and started the podcast"Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris.”

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Paula Faris

Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty

Years on the show:2015-2018

Journalist and formerGood Morning America Weekendanchor Faris was on the show for three years before leaving in 2018. After her departure, she became a senior national correspondent for ABC News and started the podcast"Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris.”

18of 23Jedediah BilaJamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesYears on the show:2016-2017The conservative host joined the panel in 2016, but left after just one season.She said onThe Jim & Pam Showthat she did not leave voluntarily, revealing, “I had signed for a new season I think about a week and a half before. In fact, they released all this really cool merchandise with all of our faces on it.” She insisted that she did not know why she was let go, but that there was “no drama,” adding, “Everybody looks for drama atThe View. I had zero drama … I had no beef.”

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Jedediah Bila

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Years on the show:2016-2017

The conservative host joined the panel in 2016, but left after just one season.

She said onThe Jim & Pam Showthat she did not leave voluntarily, revealing, “I had signed for a new season I think about a week and a half before. In fact, they released all this really cool merchandise with all of our faces on it.” She insisted that she did not know why she was let go, but that there was “no drama,” adding, “Everybody looks for drama atThe View. I had zero drama … I had no beef.”

19of 23Sara HainesSara Haines.Frazer Harrison/GettyYears on the show:2016-2018, 2020-presentThe former ABC News correspondent joined the panel in 2016, leaving in 2018. Her reasons for stepping down were amicable: She was offered a spot onGood Morning Americaalongside Michael Strahan. Haines returned to the table for 2020’s season 24.

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Sara Haines

Sara Haines.Frazer Harrison/Getty

Years on the show:2016-2018, 2020-present

The former ABC News correspondent joined the panel in 2016, leaving in 2018. Her reasons for stepping down were amicable: She was offered a spot onGood Morning Americaalongside Michael Strahan. Haines returned to the table for 2020’s season 24.

20of 23Sunny HostinHeidi Gutman/Walt Disney Television via GettyYears on the show:2016-presentHostin has been on the panel since 2016. The lawyer is also a Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News.

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Sunny Hostin

Heidi Gutman/Walt Disney Television via Getty

Years on the show:2016-present

Hostin has been on the panel since 2016. The lawyer is also a Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News.

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Years on the show:2018-2020

Huntsman, journalist and daughter of former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr., joinedThe Viewin 2018. In 2020, she announced that she would be leaving the show in order to serve as a senior advisor to her father, who was running for governor of Utah again.

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Meghan McCain

Meghan McCain on The View.Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television via Getty

Years on the show:2017-2021

The daughter of late U.S. Senator John McCain and a Fox News contributor, McCain joined the panel in 2017. During her time on the show, she often represented the conservative point of view and was, as a result, frequently engaged in debates with the other hosts.

Sheannounced her exit from the show on July 1, 2021,telling viewers she would be leaving at the end of that month.

“I am just going to rip the Band-Aid off,” she began at the top of the episode. “I am here to tell all of you, my wonderful co-hosts and viewers at home, that this is going to be my last season here atThe View.”

“I will be here through the end of July to finish out the season with all of you which I am grateful for,” she continued. “This was not an easy decision. It took a lot of thought and counsel and prayer, and talking to my family and my close friends, and, you know, look — COVID has changed the world for all of us and it changed the way, at least for me, the way I am looking at life, the way I’m living my life, the way I want my life to look like.”

“I think as any new mom knows, when I think about where I want [new daughter] Liberty to have, you know her first steps and her first words — I just have this really wonderful life here that ultimately, I felt I didn’t want to leave,” she said.

23of 23Alyssa Farrah Griffin & Ana NavarroLou Rocco/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty, Lou Rocco/ABC via GettyYears on the show:2022In the summer of 2022,PEOPLE confirmed Griffin and Navarro would be joining the panel to bring the conservative view that’s been missing since McCain’s departure.

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Alyssa Farrah Griffin & Ana Navarro

Lou Rocco/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty, Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty

Years on the show:2022

In the summer of 2022,PEOPLE confirmed Griffin and Navarro would be joining the panel to bring the conservative view that’s been missing since McCain’s departure.

source: people.com