After some controversial on-air conversations with her co-stars, Meghan McCain exited The View with four seasons under her belt. The conservative commentator apparently had no ill will about the change, but the question quickly shifted to who would take her seat at the table. Temporary hosts are being brought in this season as short-term solutions. As for a replacement permanent host, though, some viewers have likely considered former host Candace Cameron Bure as a potential option, and she has some thoughts on the prospect of a return.
Candace Cameron Bure initially joined The View for two seasons in 2015 and 2016, alongside other newcomers like Raven-Symoné and Michelle Collins. But she later left the show due to obligations to Netflix's Fuller House and her Hallmark projects. When recently asked by People if she would consider returning to the show, Cameron Bure said she'd “never want a permanent seat at the table again,” but coming back as a guest isn’t out of bounds. She continued:
My time at The View was exciting, challenging, informative, emotional, and stressful. It was one of the toughest jobs I've held, but I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to sit at the table with such talented, smart, capable women. I also established long-standing relationships off-camera with show producers, crew, talent and guests, which I'm forever thankful for. … While I'd never want a permanent seat at the table again, it always feels like family when I come back to the show as a guest.
Though Fuller House star Candace Cameron Bure considers her former cast and crew on The View like “family,” the same can’t exactly be said for Meghan McCain. In her last appearances, McCain got into some heated political exchanges with the likes of Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar. After which, ABC News’ president supposedly held an impromptu sit-down about the toxic direction the show was headed in.
Ironically, Candace Cameron Bure cited the inherent political discussions at the heart of The View as to why she won't be a permanent host again. She shared that during her run it was supposed to be about “more ever-green topics and less about politics” but Donald Trump's presidential bid in 2016 “changed everything.” She also said:
The lighter version of the show I thought I was going to work for suddenly became solely about politics. I felt like I was back in school, doing 4-5 hours of homework a night. It was exhausting. Along with that, I was traveling back and forth from Los Angeles to New York every week to be with my family on the weekends. I'm surprised I kept up with my schedule for as long as I did.
One would think that Meghan McCain leaving The View would signal that the show is truly turning a less political leaf these days. But Candace Cameron Bure apparently doesn't think so. The lineup of temporary hosts this season – including Condoleezza Rice and Gretchen Carlson – does kind of support her assumptions.
The show must go on, though. Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Barbara Walters and co. will be joined by the alternating temps on The View on weekdays on ABC at 11 a.m. EST. Meanwhile, Candace Cameron Bure has Hallmark movies to promote.
