Joy Behar Takes Over ‘The View’ as Whoopi Goldberg Steps Away

Whoopi Goldberg is temporarily stepping away from much of her usual schedule on The View, handing longtime co-host Joy Behar the moderator’s chair while she works on a new Netflix movie.

Goldberg revealed the change during the Sept. 16 episode of The View’s official Behind the Table podcast with executive producer Brian Teta. She is expected to miss the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday broadcasts for roughly the next two weeks, while continuing to appear on Mondays. (Apple Podcasts)

During those absences, Behar will take over moderating duties, while several familiar faces from the show’s past return to the Hot Topics table.

Teta said former co-hosts Lisa Ling, Star Jones, Sherri Shepherd and Debbie Matenopoulos will rotate through the program during Goldberg’s reduced schedule. Ling and Jones are expected to make multiple appearances, while Shepherd and Matenopoulos will also return as guest co-hosts. (EW.com)

Goldberg even joked about whether her longtime colleague was ready for the assignment, prompting Teta to assure her that Behar was more than willing to step in.

The temporary shakeup comes just days after The View launched its milestone 30th season on Sept. 8 with Goldberg, Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Alyssa Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro all returning to the table. ABC says the show ended its previous season as the most-watched daytime talk program among total viewers. (ABC)

Goldberg’s absence is not connected to trouble at the show. Instead, the 70-year-old actress is heading back in front of the movie cameras.

She is filming Women Like Us, an upcoming Netflix comedy co-starring Jenifer Lewis, Vanessa Williams and Vivica A. Fox.

Netflix says the movie follows a recently widowed woman who is taken to the Hamptons by her sister and lifelong best friends on what would have been her 30th wedding anniversary. What begins as a getaway turns into a weekend centered on grief, marriage, friendship and starting over later in life. (Netflix)

Goldberg described the project on Behind the Table as a story about women growing older while still finding joy and surrounding themselves with people who understand them.

The film is being directed by Tasha Smith. MACRO Film Studios and Higher Ground are producing, while Michelle Obama is serving as an executive producer through Higher Ground. Netflix has not yet announced a release date. (Netflix)

Viewers can hear Goldberg discuss the movie and her temporary schedule directly on the Sept. 16 episode of The View: Behind the Table. Listen to the official Behind the Table episode

The timing also puts Behar back in the spotlight during an already notable season for the 83-year-old comedian.

Behar was part of The View when it debuted in 1997 and has appeared during 28 of the program’s 30 seasons, missing only the period after her 2013 departure before returning in 2015. During the Season 30 premiere, Goldberg noted that Behar had now hosted more seasons of an American talk show than any other woman. (TV Insider)

Goldberg has also reached a milestone of her own. She joined The View in September 2007 and is now marking her 20th season at the table. (People.com)

For now, the change appears to be exactly what producers have described it as: a short-term reshuffling designed to let Goldberg continue filming while keeping The View running with a mixture of current personalities and recognizable former hosts.

And for longtime fans, Goldberg’s movie shoot comes with an unexpected bonus — a brief reunion with several women who helped shape earlier eras of the show.