Regular cohost Joy Behar is stepping back from ABC’s “The View” amid fears that the coronavirus will continue to spread rapidly in the United States.
According to Variety, Behar made the announcement during Thursday’s taping of the show that will air Friday, and she made the decision based on her on personal risk factors as well as encouragement from her daughter.
Behar has decided that she’s staying home for now — at the urging of her daughter — to keep herself safe from the threat of getting sick.
“I’m in a higher risk group because of my age, but I’m perfectly healthy,” Behar says on the show. “I don’t look my age, but I’m actually up there. The number makes me dizzy.”
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Neither Behar nor any of her coworkers have tested positive for coronavirus, and Behar — who will be out for at least the next week — plans to reevaluate the situation as the situation continues to change. (RELATED: ‘Rather Capable’: Joy Behar Admits She’s ‘A Little More Confident’ That Pence Can Handle Coronavirus Response)
None of the other regular hosts — Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin and Meghan McCain — have indicated that they would be taking time away from the show.
McCain voiced her support for Behar after the news broke, saying, “I ♥️ Joy and deeply respect her decision on this.”
I ♥️ Joy and deeply respect her decision on this. https://t.co/YjuQvf8R0M
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 13, 2020
ABC took steps earlier in the week to mitigate the risk of both the hosts and fans by removing the studio audience — a tactic employed by a number of shows across multiple networks.
McCain called the experience of broadcasting to an empty studio “the absolute most bizarre” thing she had seen in media.
I have experienced and seen a LOT of things in media in my life (like a lot) – however cohosting a live talk show in an empty, audience-less studio during a global pandemic may be the absolute most bizarre. pic.twitter.com/iiKtg1O4CC
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 13, 2020