Skip to main content

Joy Behar will not be present on The View next week as she has decided to take time off the show. The comedian’s family is concerned about her health over the coronavirus outbreak in the world. In an abundance of caution, Behar has made the decision to leave the ABC talk show in the coming days to keep herself days.

Joy Behar
Joy Behar | Jenny Anderson/ABC via Getty Images

The 77-year-old co-host made the announcement in a pre-taped episode of The View on Thursday that will air on Friday. According to Variety, she has not experimented with any symptoms and neither has the staff on the ABC talker.

“I’m in a higher risk group because of my age, but I’m perfectly healthy,” Behar said. “I don’t look my age, but I’m actually up there. The number makes me dizzy.”

The announcement came a day after the show decided to go audience-less in do the show without a crowd.

Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, and Meghan McCain are expected to continue on the panel for the time being.

'The View' without an audience
‘The View’ without an audience | Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images

Twitter reacts to the news

After the news broke of Behar’s departure from the show for the foreseeable future, fans took to Twitter to react and share their thoughts.

“Good for her, I sure as sh** would if I could,” a fan said on Facebook.

“Makes sense with her age and how it attacks the elderly’s immune system harsher,” a viewer added.

“She’s doing the right thing, better be safe than sorry,” another fan commented.

“She’s doing the right thing because she is at risk because of her age. Love Joy Behar, she’s the coolest,” another viewer wrote.

‘The View’ has a coronavirus scare

Earlier this week, The View had ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton to talk about the latest developments on COVID-19. McCain was not on the show and Deborah Roberts filled in for her as a guest co-host. During the opening segment, the latter mentioned that her son’s school had been shut down after someone close to the school had tested positive for the virus.

“My son’s school is closed today because someone in the orbit of the school came into contact with somebody who tested positive [for coronavirus],” she said. “Just in an abundance of caution they are cleaning down the school but they said they would reopen again tomorrow.”

In the next segment, Roberts mentioned she had a cold and freaked out the co-hosts.

“I have a cold right now and I promise, I think I’m ok,” she assured Sunny Hostin who then asked her, “Are you sure?”

Roberts then asked Dr. Ashton if she should be tested for the coronavirus. The audience is heard laughing as Goldberg stared at them concerned with what Roberts was just telling them.

“Now she tells us she has a cold,” Behar is heard saying as laughs continued in the background.

Roberts coughed and Dr. Ashton quickly reminded her to cough into her arm. Hostin is then seen moving away from Roberts looking scared of the situation. Behar then throws Roberts a set of tissues so she doesn’t spread anything more.

The irony of it all is that Goldberg and the rest of the panel had been warning viewers to stay home if they had a cold.

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. CT/PT.

Best in Entertainment