The View co-hosts Sunny Hostin, 52, and Ana Navarro, 49, tested positive for COVID, and were forced to abruptly leave the set of the daytime talk show on Friday’s live episode. The two ladies, along with fellow co-hosts Joy Behar, 78, and Sara Haines, 44, were seated at the Hot Topics table ahead of their interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, 56, when suddenly, producers asked both of them to leave. “I need the two of you to step off for a second,” executive producer Brian Telta told Sunny and Ana, who both looked understandably perplexed as they walked off set.
BREAKING: Sunny and Ana have been asked to leave the ABC studio because they tested positive for COVID.#TheView pic.twitter.com/DMIYrjHjid
— The Chat (@LiveOnTheChat) September 24, 2021
After Brian told the ladies, “we’re gonna bring you back later,” Joy asked producers if she should introduce Kamala for the next segment. They initially told Joy yes, but then backtracked and the show cut to commercial. When the show came back, Joy offered an explanation regarding Sunny and Ana’s sudden exits.
“What happened is Sunny and Ana both apparently tested positive for COVID. No matter how hard we try, these things happen,” said Joy. “They probably have a breakthrough case and they’ll be okay, I’m sure, because they’re both vaccinated.” Because of the health incident, Kamala did not come out on stage, but did speak to Joy and Sara via remote call from backstage on set. Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary to the Vice President, told HollywoodLife in a statement, “The Vice President did not have contact with the hosts before the show. Her schedule today will continue as planned.” Co-host Whoopi Goldberg, 65, was not at Friday’s show.
Season 25 of The View premiered on Sept. 7, and has featured different conservative ladies as co-hosts following Meghan McCain‘s exit. So far, former Hewlett-Packard CEO and presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, former Republican Utah Congresswoman Mia Love, and journalist Mary Katharine Ham have appeared on the show. Meanwhile, Ana has continued her trend of appearing on the show as a weekly guest co-host.