Abby Huntsman departed “The View” on Friday, using her farewell to address rumors that she and co-host Meghan McCain had a “soured relationship.”
On Monday — the day Huntsman announced she was leaving to work on her father’s gubernatorial campaign — CNN Business reported that a “toxic work environment” at the ABC talk show was one of the main reasons for her exit.
“Abby was sick of being berated by Meghan for perceived slights,” a show source told CNN. “She ultimately decided she didn’t need this job and it wasn’t worth it.”
In a statement to Insider, McCain derided the CNN report as “sexist.” “I find it hard to believe that CNN would cover a story about men this way,” McCain wrote. “Abby has been my friend for years and will always be my friend. I love her and her family very much.”
“People go nuts with rumors on this show and this week has been no exception,” Huntsman said, “I just want to be as clear as I possibly can, this has been a dream come true, this has been an incredible job, I do love everyone at this table.”
“You guys see the ups and downs of all of our life, Meghan has been … you’ve seen what she’s been through in her life … you guys live it with us. It’s not easy everyone to come out here and be so open and honest and talk about the hardest topics of the day. I have so much respect for everyone at this table and everyone at the show,” she continued.
“I want to make it clear as day, with everything that’s been written about this place, I’m so thankful for all the new friends I have here, for the friends I had before and still have and for the opportunity because this place has changed my life for the better,” she finished.
Huntsman, along with McCain, were the conservative voices on the show, both coming from political families. Her father, Jon Huntsman Jr., is seeking re-election as governor of Utah. He previously held the office from 2005-2009.
A replacement for Huntsman has not been announced.
Whoopi Goldberg toasts Abby Huntsman ahead of her last day on @TheView: “It’s been an honor and a pleasure sitting next to you, and whatever you’re doing next… we’ll be watching.”
9 Surprising Daytime Talk Show Failures, From Harry Connick Jr to Queen Latifah (Photos)
From Oprah to Ellen, daytime TV has found its own array of talk-show stars. But clearly the format isn't for everyone. Here are nine ill-fated talk shows from stars who deserved better.
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Queen Latifah is a real head-scratcher. The rapper and actress has broad audience appeal and likeability. But she's bombed with two different talk shows titled "The Queen Latifah Show," one in 1999-2001 and another from 2013 to 2015.
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Everyone loves Tony Danza, right? Maybe not. The irrepressible former "Taxi" and "Who's the Boss" star premiered "The Tony Danza Show" in 2004. Audiences were apparently unimpressed by games like "Extravadanza!" and the show was yanked after two years.
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"The Wayne Brady Show" arose out of his work on ABC's primetime improv hit "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" But Brady's charm evidently didn't translate to daytime, and the show was axed in 2004 after two seasons.
Jane Pauley was the widely admired co-host of "Today." That would make her a natural fit for her own daytime show, right? Nope. "The Jane Pauley Show" premiered in 2004 and was canceled after just one season.
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Megan Mullally tried to capitalize on the success of her Emmy-winning role in "Will & Grace" with a syndicated talk show in 2007 -- but low ratings led to cancellation after just five months.
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Katie Couric's syndicated daytime talkshow, "Katie," was canceled in 2013 a year after it debuted in 2012, airing for a total of 2 seasons. The ill-fated show, which failed to break through to the “Ellen” and “Dr. Phil” ranks, was distributed by Disney/ABC Television Group.
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“The Meredith Vieira Show” was canceled in 2016 after 2 seasons. After debuting in 2014, it was quickly renewed for a second season, which premiered to much lower ratings than the first season. After the cancellation, Vieira transitioned to coverage of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro for NBCUniversal.
Harry Connick Jr.'s syndicated daytime talk show, "Harry," was canceled by NBCUniversal Television Distribution in 2018 after only two seasons. It had aired on Fox-owned stations for a total of 299 episodes, though in the end, it failed to find its footing.
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We’ve compiled a list of ill-fated daytime talk shows from stars who deserved better
From Oprah to Ellen, daytime TV has found its own array of talk-show stars. But clearly the format isn't for everyone. Here are nine ill-fated talk shows from stars who deserved better.