Now temping in Meghan McCain’s spot on ‘The View’: politicos, pundits, reality stars

Meghan McCain’s seat on ABC’s “The View” is getting a kind of musical-chairs treatment with a number of panelists attempting to fill her seat — from a former presidential hopeful to reality-TV housewives.

The ABC talk show, which begins its 25th season next week, will be “taking a little time” to find its next permanent co-host to join the panel, executive producer Brian Teta said in a statement Tuesday.

Former Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) — one of nine guest panelists total — will take over for McCain when the show premieres next week, ABC announced Tuesday. She’ll join moderator Whoopi Goldberg and co-hosts Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines, all of whom will be back in the show’s New York City studio in front of a live studio audience for the first time since March 2020.

Other new faces include former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, CNN’s S.E. Cupp, one-time presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina, former Fox News host and “Real Housewives of New York City” star Eboni K. Williams, CNN analyst Mary Katharine Ham, Trump political advisor Alyssa Farah, “Southern Charm” reality star Cameran Eubanks and Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News anchor turned advocate against sexual harassment.

Guest co-host and political commentator Ana Navarro, a veteran of “The View,” also will make regular appearances throughout the season, ABC said.

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Aug. 6, 2021

McCain, the daughter of Arizona Sen. John McCain, was the lone conservative voice on the daily talk show. The provocative and often controversial panelist told viewers in July that she would be leaving her co-host chair after four years. Her farewell episode aired in August.

Veteran journalist Barbara Walters, a former moderator, created the show back in 1997. She retired from the series in 2014. But to celebrate the silver milestone, “The View” will be inviting back former co-hosts such as Star Jones for a new segment dubbed “Flashback Friday” that looks back at the show’s history. Jones’ episode will air Sept. 10.

“Twenty-five years is such an incredible milestone,” executive producer Teta said. “We have so much planned to honor this amazing platform that Barbara Walters created. I can’t think of a better way to kick off that celebration than by welcoming the co-hosts back to the iconic ‘View’ table and to have them in front of a live studio audience again. We have some truly exciting plans to celebrate this anniversary all season long.”

“The View” also will debut a podcast series, “Behind the Table,” on Sept. 14.