The news recently emerged that longtime cohost of “The View,” Joy Behar, would be taking some time away from the show. The rumor mill then ran rampant with theories; with many thinking she was either being phased out or working up to leave the show. Now, the 83-year-old host is making it clear that her time away isn’t a hiatus, nor a sign of something bigger.
Joy Behar Clears The Air On Her ‘View’ Hiatus
During a May 2026 broadcast of “The View,” Behar took the opportunity to explain why fans won’t see her on the series for a couple of weeks. The talk show legend began, “There’s been a lot of media attention on me lately because I’m taking off the hiatus.”
After that, Behar rebuffed reports that she was going on hiatus, noting that she’s working while she’s away and that a hiatus usually means a break. According to her, “I have a planned trip overseas next week to work on my play, ‘My First EX Husband,’ in London.”
Joy Behar Says She’ll Miss The Viewers The Most
Behar continued her explanation for her impending absence from “The View.” First, she noted that her upcoming play isn’t her first and that she’s “written a bunch of plays,” before mentioning another one, “Bonkers in the Boroughs.”
After that, the comedian jokingly asked her cohosts if they would miss her during her non-hiatus. Naturally, they said they would before she stated, “Well, I will miss you too, and I will always miss the audience. That’s my thing.”
As they rolled to the show’s end credits, Behar reaffirmed that she would return in two weeks.
Some Fans Think There’s More To The Story
After Behar’s comments were shared on “The View” social media channels, fans of the hit ABC show began weighing in. Naturally, the majority of the comments were positive, but a few thought Behar’s upcoming two-week absence was mandated.
One person said on X, “You will be missed, but go kill it in London.” Another “View” fan said, “She is such an icon and inspo…to be over 80 and doing so many new things…it truly proves you are never too old for ANYTHING in this life!!!”
Someone else reacted, “Ok, phew bc I was behind on watching the show, and I’m like, what did I miss! Why is Joy leaving? Lol.” After that, another social media user chimmed in, “It’s just Fox faux news spreading tabloid crap as usual.”
Regarding positive comments, an Instagram user wrote, “Joy… We all love you very much. You are fantastic. You’re fabulous. You are a huge bundle of joy for all of us! We love you we love you. We love you.”
Lastly, a different person expressed doubt about her reasoning. They said, “Right, Behar, this has nothing to do with the network telling you to take a break from the show because of your wacky, embarrassing rantings. Sure.”
‘The View’ Is On A Ratings High
“The View” is currently in its 29th season on ABC. However, despite being on the air for so long, the series shows no sign of slowing down. According to The Wrap, the Behar co-hosted show recently had its strongest first-quarter ratings in five years.
The daytime talk show averaged 2.78 million viewers and an impressive 1.86 rating in households. That’s not all; it also achieved a five-year ratings high among women aged 25 to 54, with 225,000 eyeballs, as well as among women aged 18 to 49. The latter of the two demographics delivered 182,000 million viewers.
Notably, the show delivered substantial year-over-year increases across several of its most important demographics, with women 18 to 49 seeing the biggest boost, up 14%. Additionally, according to Variety, the season 29 premiere was the show’s strongest since 2020, with 2.602 million viewers.
Who Will Fill In For Joy Behar
Behar announced her upcoming absences from “The View” on the show’s accompanying podcast, “Behind the Table.” During it, the show’s executive producer, Brian Teta, discussed how her absence will be handled regarding guest cohosts.
One of the names mentioned was comedian Sheryl Underwood, who has guest-hosted the show before. Additionally, Kara Swisher will host for a couple of days. Fans will also see more of Ana Navarro, who typically only hosts on Mondays and Fridays.