ABC executives were looking to move on from The View host Abby Huntsman before she decided to voluntarily leave the show on her own accord.
“Abby was added to the show without chemistry-testing with the other women mainly because she had a prior relationship with Meghan McCain and ABC was desperate to make Meghan appear more likeable,” an ABC insider told the Daily Mail on Tuesday. “But it didn’t take execs long to realize that Abby talked a lot, but she never really said anything. Her points and opinions never really landed with the audience because it often lacked substance.”
The View executives thought Huntsman did not add a lot to the show other than her last name, and they were looking at transitioning her off and replacing her with Ana Navarro, who occasionally hosts the program.
Huntsman, 33, announced Monday that she would be leaving The View to join her father Jon Huntsman’s gubernatorial campaign. “Family has always been my number one priority, and is where I need to be focused at this time. We are incredibly close and are there to support and help each other when it matters. It’s not often there is a political campaign that involves someone you love and believe in, but this is one of them,” she said in a statement.
Her departure comes as there were reports her relationship with fellow host Meghan McCain was deteriorating. Sources described the once “ride-or-die” relationship between the two as having “soured” and “not as close” as they once were when Huntsman first joined the show.
“Since Barbara Walters retired from this show, The View has become a revolving door for talent and that’s one of the things they’ve been terribly criticized about,” the insider said. “But this time around, the show isn’t marred in another scandal for firing a host since Abby decided to take this job with her father’s campaign before the network could start transitioning her out.”
The 48-year-old Navarro, who likely could replace Huntsman, is a natural fit with the show with her boisterous personality and sometimes controversial takes. “It’s no secret, the audience loves Ana. Whoopi, Joy and Sunny love Ana,” the source said. “The producers love Ana. Giving her more days would be a no-brainer for sure. But since ABC News has taken over The View, the right thing is rarely done anymore, which is why the turnover rate on this show post-Barbara is so high.”
ABC has denied they wanted to fire Huntsman.
