Fans of The View have a lot to celebrate in September. The show is set to return for a historic 25th season in just a few weeks, and for an exclusive with PEOPLE Magazine, the co-hosts reunited in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic led them to host the show virtually.
Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Sara Haines are coming back to “take a little time to enjoy The View” in just a few weeks. Meghan McCain, the show’s vocal and sole conservative voice, recently left the series after four years, as theGrio previously reported. Still, the remaining four ladies seem excited to return to the table for the 25th season, and PEOPLE captured the heartwarming moment when the ladies reunited at last.
In the heartwarming video, the ladies greet each other on the set of their celebratory shoot. First to arrive, were hosts Hostin and Haines. Hostin and Haines became permanent co-hosts on the show when it returned for its 20th season back in 2016. Haines left the show briefly to host Strahan, Sara and Keke at Good Morning America, before returning in season 24.
Joining the ladies on set next was Behar, who is the sole remaining original co-host at the table. In the video, Hostin and Haines both exclaim, “It’s Joy!” as she walks onto the set. Then, saving the best for last of course, Goldberg joins the other ladies on set while they exclaim. Haines immediately pulls Goldberg in for an embrace, with Hostin cheekily saying, “Sara’s a hugger!”
As the ladies take in the historic nature of their 25th season, Behar shares with the women, “I can’t believe it’s 25 years…I’m still trying to finish a sentence I started in 1997!” She then makes a witty joke, saying, “These are the jokes, okay motherf——! This is it.”
The video ends with the women toasting Barbara Walters, the woman who started it all 25 years ago. Walters was not only co-creator of the series but served on the iconic panel from 1997 to 2014. Holding champagne flutes and The View themed cupcakes, the women shout out, “For you Barbara!” as they toasted to her.
The View also shared an update regarding the 25th season and their plan to replace McCain’s seat at the table. Per Deadline, Condoleezza Rice, Mia Love, Gretchen Carlson, and Alyssa Farah will serve as guest co-hosts in the upcoming months. Ana Navarro, who serves as a co-host on Fridays, will also return to fill in.
Also included on the guest co-host list is Real Housewives of New York City’s Eboni K. Williams.
Season 25 of The View premieres on September 7.
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