Abby Huntsman Is Leaving ‘The View’ Over ‘Toxic’ Work Environment, ABC Treated Her Like ‘S**t’
Abby Huntsman is saying goodbye to The View. Huntsman recently confirmed her exit from the popular daytime talk show and is set to accompany her father, Jon Huntsman Jr., on the campaign trail in Utah. But supporting her father’s gubernatorial bid is not the real reason she is leaving The View. Inside sources say that Huntsman quit because of a “toxic” work environment related to how ABC treats everyone on the show.
Abby Huntsman announces her departure
Earlier this week, Huntsman told her fans that is leaving The View in order to support her father, who is currently running for governor of Utah. Although Huntsman has a good excuse for exiting the series, an inside source claims there is another reason why she is quitting her post.
“It’s an unhealthy environment — just the way that things are handled during shows and how people deal with each other,” a source shared. “It’s intense. Abby made an issue [to executives] about the overall environment. She’s felt for a while that things had to change.”
According to Page Six, the insider added that the network treated Huntsman like “s**t.” While Huntsman was not afraid to speak up, she is not the only co-host who took issue with the environment on set.
Whoopi Goldberg also complained about what was happening off-camera, though it is unclear how producers responded. Things even reached a point where Huntsman referred to the set as “toxic.”
Despite the complaints, ABC reportedly refused to do anything about it. The network has not commented on the rumors surrounding Huntsman’s exit, but it will be interesting to see how things unfold in the coming weeks.
Inside Huntsman’s decision to leave ‘The View’
Sources say that Huntsman decided to leave the show last month. She waited until the new year, however, to announce her departure, which took most of her co-stars by surprise.
Huntsman talked with all of her co-hosts and made sure that they heard about her departure first-hand. She then released a memo officially confirming that she will no longer be a part of the show.
“After much deliberation over the holidays, I have decided to leave the show to dedicate myself full time in support of my dad and his campaign for governor of Utah,” her memo read.
The casting change comes amid reports that the hosts have been having a hard time dealing with Meghan McCain. Even though Huntsman was an ally to McCain on the show, even she started getting tired of her antics.
The insider did not say if McCain’s behavior had anything to do with Huntsman’s departure, but it was probably a factor in her decision to leave.
Abby Huntsman and Meghan McCain butt heads
During most of her time on The View, Huntsman and McCain were good friends. But they recently experienced a falling out after Huntsman kept talking about her children on the show.
McCain has been very open about her struggles to have children. This past summer, for example, McCain wrote an article for the New York Times about the tragic miscarriage she suffered.
Sources say that McCain privately asked Huntsman to stop talking about her children so much, deeming it insensitive. When Huntsman refused, McCain confronted her backstage. The other hosts caught wind of the fight, which only put more strain on their friendship.
“Abby was sick of being berated by Meghan for perceived slights,” a source stated. “She ultimately decided she didn’t need this job and it wasn’t worth it.”
Although they have had their differences, McCain and Huntsman reportedly made amends upon her departure. McCain also gave Huntsman a shout-out on social media after her exit, wishing her “nothing but the best on her next chapter.”
Is McCain the real issue on ‘The View’?
In light of Huntsman’s abrupt exit, fans have been speculating that McCain is the reason why things are reportedly so toxic on the set. Prior to Huntsman’s announcement, sources revealed that all of the hosts on the show were ignoring McCain because of how she was treating guests.
McCain has butted heads with just about all of the hosts on the show. She even got into a minor spat with Huntsman on a recent episode, despite them both representing conservative viewpoints.
ABC has not said anything about McCain’s behavior on the set of The View. The network has also not announced any plans to replace Huntsman, though there are plenty of candidates willing to step up.
It remains to be seen if the show will bring on another conservative or go a different direction altogether.
If the rumors about McCain are true, it is possible that Abby Huntsman will not be the only one leaving The View.
