The highly anticipated season 27 premiere of ‘The View’ was met with a noticeable absence as Whoopi Goldberg, 67, was unable to attend due to her third bout with COVID-19.
Joy Behar, 80, stepped in as the moderator for the show’s return after a four-week summer break. While the live studio audience reacted to Whoopi’s absence, Joy confirmed that she had tested positive for the virus but was on the path to recovery.
Joy shared, “As you can see, Whoopi is not here, she has Covid…Yes, it’s back, it’s back. But she’s on the mend, she’s on the tail end. Sorry for those who were looking forward to seeing her.”
Whoopi had been notably quiet on social media during the break and missed an event in late August related to her Cannabis Cactus magazine cover. It’s uncertain if her absence from the event was due to her COVID diagnosis.
This marks the third time Whoopi has been forced to take time off from ‘The View’ due to COVID-19. She previously fell ill with the virus in early 2022 and then again in November 2022. Despite being fully vaccinated, she emphasized the importance of vaccinations while acknowledging that they do not completely prevent reinfection.
Fans of the show reacted on Twitter, expressing their surprise and disappointment over Whoopi’s absence from the season premiere.
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Written by:
Dana Sterling-Editor
