In a bid to tamp down talk about changes at “The View,†Barbara Walters said on Monday that “we have no plans†for Elisabeth Hasselbeck to leave the long-running ABC talk show.
But she left some wiggle room in her statement, which was delivered at the beginning of Monday’s episode, several days after another member of “The View,†Joy Behar, said she had decided to leave. At that time several publications, including TVNewser.com and Us Weekly, reported that Ms. Hasselbeck was also expected to exit at the end of the season. Us Weekly quoted an unidentified source who said that Ms. Hasselbeck, often the show’s lone conservative voice, was being removed because “she was too extreme and right wing,†to the dismay of viewers.
Such a suggestion is dangerous for “The View.†Ms. Walters, who both co-hosts and produces the show, denied itsaccuracy on Monday, saying, “We love Elisabeth†and “We value and appreciate her point of view.†She said Ms. Hasselback “helps give this show perspective and balance†and added, “We have no plans for Elisabeth to leave this show.†But co-hosts can choose to leave, Ms. Walters pointed out â€" leaving the door open for Ms. Hasselbeck.
“Right now, the only person who cannot leave this show is me,†Ms. Walters added, implicitly denying online speculation that she might also be thinking about departing.
