Looks like The View is going to be a little more chaotic than usual, as host Whoopi Goldberg tested positive for Covid-19, and won’t return until next week.
According to Variety, co-host Joy Behar made the announcement on the Monday, Jan. 3 episode.
“Whoopi unfortunately tested positive before the break, but she’ll probably be back next week,” Behar said.
Joy went on to stress that the crew expects Whoopi to be ok, as she is fully vaccinated.
“Since she’s vaccinated and boosted, her symptoms have been very, very mild. We’re being very cautious here at The View” she said.
As the moderator, Whoopi is usually the one who keeps things from spiraling too far out of control. When she’s not there, things tend to get a lot louder and less reasonable.
Co-host Sunny Hostin also revealed that she tested positive for the virus over the holiday break.
“I am so thankful that I was vaccinated and boosted, because I just had cold-like symptoms, but I didn’t feel great,” Hostin said.
The episode also saw the show return to a partially remote format with the hosts and guests all in different locations. It’s one of the first major series to go back to remote production.
As New York struggles with a surge in Covid-19 cases, The View is the latest in a long list of production changes and cancellations.
As previously reported by The Root, Broadway has been hit particularly hard with Jagged Little Pill, Waitress, Ain’t Too Proud and Thoughts of a Colored Man all closing, and shows like Hamilton and Freestyle Love Supreme canceling several performances.
As scripted series return from their holiday hiatus, many in the TV world are wondering if the Omicron variant will lead to longer breaks, which will in turn impact programming schedules and episode counts.
Meanwhile with movie theaters closing around the world, Sony announced that it is moving Spider-Man spinoff Morbius from Jan. 28 to April 1, making it the first blockbuster to change dates.
Guess all these scheduling changes mean we’ll have more time to stay home and watch the women of The View argue with one another.