‘The View’ Co-Host Joy Behar Claims She Was ‘Glad’ for Her Firing From the Daytime Talk Show in 2013

Joy Behar had her long-running stint hosting The View interrupted by a temporary firing in 2013, but that doesn’t seem to bring her down. She recently said she was glad for the break, claiming it was what she wanted at the time.

Why was Behar let go, when did she come back, and does it seem like she has plans to step down for good anytime soon? Read on to find out.

Joy Behar had a long history on ‘The View’ before her 2013 firing

When The View launched in 1997, Behar was one of the original panelists hosting the show alongside executive producer Barbara Walters. The comedian provided a humorous perspective but eventually developed into a polarizing figure, especially when conversations ventured into the realm of politics.

As is still the case, Behar would sometimes get into verbal spats on air with her co-hosts. And eventually, producers wanted to take the show in a new direction.

Why Joy Behar was ‘glad’ producers from ‘The View’ fired her in 2013

In 2013, Behar was let go from The View, but it doesn’t seem to be a big deal to her now. “I was glad to be fired,” she told Time. “I basically was sick of the show at that point for some reason, I don’t even remember why.”

According to Walters, the decision to fire Behar at the same time as conservative co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck wasn’t hers. “The network is also involved,” she told Variety. “I think the feeling was if one went, both had to leave. We needed to shake things up.”

Behar returned to The View in 2015 due to a slip in ratings, per Time. Former President Donald Trump was on his way to the White House, and producers wants to lead the show back into political conversations.

Executive producer Hilary Estey McLoughlin said, “… I knew [Behar] was going to be the person who could actually do that. She’s always been the person who says what the audience is thinking but is afraid to say.”

Co-host Sunny Hostin said Behar “doesn’t hold a grudge” and added, “I think because she doesn’t remember what happened the day before.”

“That’s how she’s been able to deal with this show,” she explained. “She just leaves it at the table and then moves on for another day.”

Some fans think Joy Behar will retire from ‘The View’ soon, but she has a contract through 2025

Since Behar will turn 80 in October 2022, some have speculated it might mark her last year hosting The View. But she shut down that speculation through her representatives, who told the NY Post she signed a three-year contract through 2025. Rumors of impending retirement are “fake news,” according to her team.

But when Time asked Behar if she would miss The View when her time on the show really does come to an end, she had an interesting answer. “Not really,” she said. “You know what they say — the show must go off.”