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Fans of The View may have noticed that Whoopi Goldberg has been missing from the show lately. The EGOT legend is the first face viewers see when the show starts every morning on ABC. However, it’s been Joy Behar who has been moderating the daytime talk show lately. On a recent episode, the comedian said she was “worried” about her co-host.

Whoopi Goldberg at an event in 2019
Whoopi Goldberg | ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Why is Whoopi Goldberg not on ‘The View’ anymore?

Goldberg has been the moderator on The View since 2007, when she took over for Rosie O’Donnell after only one season. The Sister Act icon has been debating her co-hosts since season 11, and the show is currently in season 24. When Goldberg misses an episode, fans notice, and she has been off the show since Monday, June 21.

Behar has been the one moderating in Goldberg’s absence. Every morning she acknowledges that Goldberg is not on the show and announces that Ana Navarro is the fifth co-host. The Nicaraguan personality is usually only on Friday episodes when Goldberg takes the day off.

For three consecutive days, Behar just said that Goldberg was missing from the episode, but it was on Thursday, June 24 that the comedian gave more insight into her absence.

Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar on the set of 'The View' in May 2019
Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar | Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

“Good morning and welcome to The View. Whoopi is out again today with her sciatica problem,” Behar said. “We’re so worried about her at this point but I think it’s under control.”

On Friday, June 25, the episode was previously recorded, and Behar didn’t acknowledge Goldberg’s absence at the top of the hour. When the show resumed live again on Monday, June 28, Goldberg continued to be missing. As of right now, there’s no word as to when The Stand star will return. We have reached out to ABC News for comment, but we have not heard back from them as of publication.

What is sciatica?

Behar mentioned that Goldberg was out due to her sciatica, which was something she had been out for back in 2015. The host was also out a couple of days and her return was a big moment for the show. Upon her comeback, Goldberg, used a special chair on The View to not stress her pinched nerve.

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According to WebMD, sciatica is when people experience pain in their back due to the sciatic nerve. The nerve runs from the lower back down the back of each leg. People between the ages of 30 and 50 years old are the most likely to experience this pain following a herniated disk.

To ease the pain, a heated pad or ice pack can be helpful to those experiencing discomfort. It is recommended for people to move to help reduce inflammation and pain. However, if the pain is too powerful, a doctor may inject steroids into the spine area to help reduce the swelling.

For some cases when it’s extremely severe, a doctor might recommend surgery if the pain persists for more than 4-6 weeks.

It is not known how severe Goldberg’s case is but fans have taken to social media to send her well-wishes and hope she will be back on The View soon. The show is expected to take a week-long break following the 4th of July.

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