The View is finally replacing former co-host Abby Huntsman. Towards the beginning of the year, Huntsman announced that she would be departing the daytime talk show. Ahead of its Season 24 premiere, The View has confirmed that a former co-host will return to replace Huntsman, as well as shared plans for Meghan McCain’s absence.
Here is what is happening. Ahead of Meghan McCain’s maternity leave, former co-host Sara Haines will return to The View starting with Season 24, per Deadline. The news comes after previous reports indicated Haines returning to The View. Haines served as a co-host on The View from 2016 until 2018.
Where has she been in the meantime? Sara Haines had been the “Sara” in GMA3: Strahan, Sara & Keke, which was cancelled earlier in 2020. Haines has remained more than cordial with The View since leaving, returning to co-host in a guest capacity following Huntsman’s exit. Now, she will be back for good. Or as long as “for good” is on The View.
What about Meghan McCain? The View’s outspoken co-host will be going on maternity leave, and when she does, she will not have an official replacement. Instead, the plan is to fill McCain’s slot with a lot of guests and potential guest hosts. McCain will be on The View when Season 24 starts, so expect to see Sara Haines and McCain on-screen together before the latter temporarily exits.
The View has been home to so much drama through the years that it is getting a scripted TV show. However, this news sounds entirely tame. Meghan McCain will return from maternity leave at some point, and Joy Behar should still be there. Despite word that Behar planned to retire from the show in two years (2022), Behar later denied it.
Is Sara Haines ready to get back to the talk show? Haines filling in since she departed full-time should help her ease back into the swing of things. Of course, Candace Cameron Bure called her time on The View her most challenging job yet. The good news for fans of the long-running chat-fest is that they will not have to adjust to a new co-host.
Longtime viewers are familiar with Sara Haines, who joined The View to replace then-outgoing co-host Michelle Collins. Haines lasted from Season 20 to Season 22. After two seasons away, she will be back. Due to the constant sense of change surrounding the co-hosts, it will be interesting to see how long Haines remains a part of The View’s cast. Season 24 should shed some light.
The announcement comes just days away from when The View will start its latest season. Season 24 will premiere live on Tuesday, September 8, at 11 a.m. ET on ABC. To see what else is airing new after this summer, check out this fall’s schedule.
