Abby Huntsman is leaving The View without any denial of the reports that the long-running talk show is a toxic work environment, according to The Daily Beast.
On Wednesday (January 15), it was reported that the behind-the-scenes drama at the ABC show, including a number of reports that deem the show "toxic culture," prompted networks executives to ask the departing host to reframe the viral stories. Prior to the live broadcast, multiple insiders claim that Senior Executive Producer Hilary Estey McLoughlin and Barbara Fedida, ABC News’ senior vice president for talent, editorial strategy, and business affairs, asked Huntsman to go on-camera and deny the atmosphere on-set, but she did not, taking the advice of show moderator Whoopi Goldberg.
"They threw Abby under the bus," an insider told the website on Tuesday, in reference to the reports that arrived after her exit announcement. Huntsman said that she's leaving the show in efforts to go to Utah to help run the 2020 gubernatorial campaign of her father, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. Afterwards, The Daily Mail shared an "exclusive" about how Huntsman "left her co-hosting job on The View because her future at the popular talk show was hanging on by a thread," and that "network executives had been considering phasing her out of her coveted seat."
Speaking with The Daily Beast, McLoughlin said, "The story is categorically untrue. We’re not focused on replacing Abby right now."
During the Monday episode of the morning show, Huntsman broke the news, describing the exit as "a hard thing to do." "This is always such a hard thing to do," she told viewers. "And especially this table because this is a really special table. The most iconic show I think on television and the smartest women that I've ever worked with. But today I'm saying goodbye." Huntsman's final day is on Friday.
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