Whoopi Goldberg out of ‘The View’ After Coming in Contact With Person Who Tested Positive for COVID-19
Whoopi Goldberg was surprisingly out of her seat of The View on Wednesday’s episode that aired on Dec. 15. The show’s moderator was absent from the show and only Joy Behar, Sara Haines, and Sunny Hostin were at the table. Right at the top of the show’s hour, Behar revealed that Goldberg had come in close contact with someone that tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Joy Behar gives health update on Whoopi Goldberg
The View started off with two developments as the show went on the air. Behar addressed the news at the top of the hour as to why Goldberg was missing from the show.
“Whoopi wanted me to tell everyone that she feels fine and healthy,” Behar said. “But, because she was in close contact with someone who tested positive [for COVID-19], she won’t be here today and tomorrow.”
“She’s fine,” Behar added before suggesting, “If you’re near someone who has been exposed, you cannot come here, that’s the way we operate here.”
Behar then revealed that Goldberg had tested negative for the coronavirus earlier that day. The political commentator also disclosed the EGOT legend was vaccinated and had her booster.
Furthermore, Goldberg would appear on the show scheduled to air on Friday, Dec. 17 because the show had previously been taped.
After revealing what was going on with Goldberg, Behar then sent condolences to Ana Navarro after confirming her mother had died.
Whoopi Goldberg recently signed a new deal
Goldberg is an integral part of The View and gives the show status. The actor joined the panel in season 11 as the show’s moderator after a chaotic season with Rosie O’Donnell in that seat. The show is currently in season 25 and Goldberg recently signed a new deal that would extend her stay through season 28. Goldberg had renewed her contract yearly and this is the first time in a while where she signed up for a multiple-year deal.
The Sister Act star recently opened up about the criticism she gets for talking about politics while being an actor.
“I’ve been here, sometimes in trouble, sometimes not, but the beauty is the show is all about your view,” she said, according to Deadline. “The hardest thing is people who don’t want you to have a view, because you’re someone who is an actor, as though your job description keeps you from feeling what’s going on in the world. It’s very, very interesting.”
COVID-19 and ‘The View’
Season 25 of The View had an early COVID-19 scare. The show had been airing virtually since the pandemic started. However, with vaccines available to the general public, The View went to in-person tapings starting this past September. The show also had an in-studio audience but to be part of the show everyone has to be vaccinated.
Things had been going smoothly on the show until the day that sitting U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to appear. Moments after the show went on air, Behar announced that Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro had to leave the show as their COVID-19 results came back positive.
The moment went viral and the remaining co-hosts — Behar and Haines — scrambled to keep the show moving as it was live. For most of the hour, the two hosts remaining answered questions from the audience. Although Harris was in the studio, she appeared virtually during the last block of the show.
Fortunately for Hostin and Navarro, the results of the test turned out to be false positives and they returned to the show the following week.
The View airs weekday mornings at 11 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. PT/CT on ABC.
