Following four years on the ABC daytime talk show, The View, Meghan McCain will be exiting the show, according to Variety. Created in 1997, the show is hosted by Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act), Joy Behar (The Joy Behar Show), Sunny Hostin (Soul of a Nation), McCain, and Sara Haines (The Chase). Acting as the show’s second longest-running conservative co-host on the program, McCain often bumped heads with her co-hosts, resulting in several viral moments.
During Thursday’s show, which McCain filmed remotely due to having moved to Washington D.C. during the pandemic, she shared the news of her departure while noting the recent birth of her daughter and the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons. “I am here to tell all of you…that this is going to be my last season here at The View. This was not an easy decision. COVID has changed the world for all of us and it changed the way I’m living my life,” she continued. “When I said goodbye to all of you in the studio, I found out I was pregnant….I came to the D.C. area, and we have this incredible life here,” via Variety.
The daughter of the late Arizona Senator John McCain, Meghan McCain has described herself as a Republican with liberal views on several social issues. Particularly, she is an avid advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, while she also has devoted much of her screen time to condemning the rise in anti-Semitism across the globe. On The View, McCain also spent a large amount of her time criticizing former President Donald Trump during his term and especially during his 2020 presidential campaign.
As she has maintained opposing political views from her co-hosts, oftentimes sparking heated debates that would occasionally garner views from social media platforms, McCain has been rumored to have on-set feuds with her fellow hosts. However, a source has said that her exit is not related to any potential drama behind the scenes. The View is filmed in New York City, however, the co-hosts have worked remotely from different locations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is currently unclear who will replace McCain on The View, however, the show is known for its consistently circulating band of hosts. McCain’s announcement of her departure can be viewed below.