Meghan McCain’s recently announced departure from The View leaves a significant vacancy in the cast of one of daytime’s most highly rated (and consistently most buzzed-about) shows. While names have recently been bandied about as possible replacements for the conservative firebrand (actress Yvette Nicole Brown and conservative commentator S.E. Cupp are this writer’s top choices), Page Six reports that this all might be a case of preemptive casting.
The insider mentioned that there will be an array of guest hosts, saying “There will be conservatives, some well-known, some not. It’s always been important to maintain a panel of different points of view” and saying “There is no scramble. They’re taking time to find the right person to fill the seat. No one is freaking out”. Ana Navarro, a fan favorite permanent guest host “lives in Florida and doesn’t want to move to New York. She appears on other shows and is big on the speaking-tour market and probably makes a lot of money from it. They’d have to pay her well.” according to the insider.
Reports are now emerging that a very familiar face may be returning to The View. Deadline reports that original co-host Debbie Matenopolous (who departed the show in 1999) is in talks to possibly rejoin the ladies at the table. The last time fans got a chance to see Matenopolous on the ABC chat fest was in November 2016. To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of The View, Matenopolous joined original panel members Star Jones, Joy Behar and original moderator Meredith Viera for a sweeps-worthy reunion, where they chatted about the news of the day, just like old times.
For her part, Matenopolous’ spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail that one of the original voices of The View might be making a return to the show, at least in some form. The spokesperson said “Debbie will always have a fond place in her heart for ‘The View’, the show that launched her career as a 21-year-old straight out of NYU,” her spokesperson said. “Her rep has, in fact, been having conversations with senior executives at ABC News over the past few months about many things, including her participation in celebrating the 25th season of ‘The View’, and she appreciates all the interest in her returning.”
The spokesperson ended by saying “Currently, she is in development on two food shows and her own lifestyle show, but she’d never say never to returning to her first television home”
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