The View has been going strong on ABC for more than a quarter century now, but rumors have swirled in recent months about the show itself coming to an end and the departure of a current co-host in the meantime. While the premiere of Season 27 being scheduled for September 5 is certainly proof that the network hasn't axed its long-running show, the question remained about whether or not the rumors were true about Sara Haines departing. While Haines herself hasn't publicly weighed in at the time of writing, ABC has a response.
The rumors initially began to spread after the National Enquirer (via RadarOnline.com) alleged that Sara Haines never knows "what personality any of the women will bring to the table" or "where the attacks are going to come from," claiming that she was being worn down by her co-hosts and she was struggling to go to work in the morning. In the wake of the reports, an ABC spokesperson cleared the air in a statement to RadarOnline:
This is ridiculous and just not true. Sara and her fellow co-hosts are excited to return for a new season of the show, which they’ve all helped to make the most-watched daytime talk show for the third year in a row.
ABC didn't beat around the bush regarding Sara Haines' future on The View, clarifying in no uncertain terms that she's not leaving the talk show for Season 27. I would say that the clarity is more than welcome in light of the rumors that the show itself could be coming to an end in the wake of co-creator Bill Geddie's death. The original rumor about the potential cancellation also came from the National Enquirer, citing an alleged source that claimed that increased in-fighting between the hosts was turning viewers off. ABC also addressed those rumors.
The co-host panel for Season 27 consists of Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Ana Navarro-Cárdenas as well as Sara Haines. Ahead of the premiere for the new season that debuts on September 5, the Instagram account for the show posted an image of the six co-hosts posing together, including Haines looking ready for some Hot Topics. Take a look:
Sara Haines also posted a brief video clip to promote the new season as an Instagram Story, and all signs point toward The View more or less picking up where it left off. As to whether there is some conflict behind the scenes... well, only time will tell if somebody ever goes on the record to weigh in. It certainly is true that arguments can break out on The View with its plethora of Hot Topics, and Haines had an interesting moment over the summer when her phone went off while taping the show.
The return of The View to ABC on September 5 comes as most other network TV shows are facing a fall TV season without their usual premieres due to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA writers strike. ABC hits like The Conners and Grey's Anatomy were announced to be delayed all the way back in May. That said, The View isn't affected by the AMPTP's dealings with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, so the daytime talk show could get back to business more or less as usual after the September 5 premiere.
Tune in to ABC on weekdays for new episodes of The View, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV premiere schedule for some additional viewing options this fall. The TV schedule is more than a little topsy turvy due to the strikes, but you can find some scripted shows coming back along with the unscripted!
