Credit: Steve Mack/Film Magic
“The View” co-host Sherri Shepherd confirmed that she is leaving the popular morning talk show and while she claims she gave the decision a lot of thought, rumors are flying that Shepherd was actually fired from the show.
For some fans, “The View” just won’t be the same.
Shortly after bidding farewell to Barbara Walters, another one of the show’s co-hosts is ready to depart.
Shepherd has been hosting the show for seven years, but on June 26 she released a statement saying it was time for her to move on to other business ventures.
“It’s been seven wonderful years on ‘The View’ and after careful consideration it is time for me to move on,” the statement released to Deadline said. “I am extremely grateful to Barbara Walters and [executive producer] Bill Geddie for giving me the opportunity. I look forward to the business opportunities that lay ahead for me and I am incredibly grateful to my ‘View’ family and my fans for supporting me on this journey.”
It has been confirmed that Shepherd’s contract was up for negotiation, but whether she made the final decision to leave the show is still up for debate.
Sources told Deadline that ABC and Shepherd’s camp were “too far apart” when it came to striking terms for a new deal.
According to TMZ, however, it seems as if the network was ready to fill Shepherd’s seat with another host.
The celebrity gossip site reported, “There was a meeting at ABC late Thursday afternoon and they announced Sherri Shepherd was out.”
TMZ also reported that fellow co-host Jenny McCarthy could possibly be on the chopping block, as well as Geddie.
Earlier this morning, Fox News reported that McCarthy would not be returning to the show. The comedian’s one-year contract came to an end without a new deal being offered.
Sources tell Fox News that McCarthy simply “didn’t appeal to the daytime audience market.”
While ABC did not confirm these rumors, the network did release a statement hinting that big changes were coming to the show very soon.
“ ‘The View’ will be moving in an exciting new direction next season, and ABC has made decisions to evolve the show creatively,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, former talk show host Shepherd is still wrapped up in an ongoing divorce battle with Lamar Sally.
As the couple navigate their way through the divorce process, there have been concerns that their unborn baby will not be handed over to them after the surrogate mother gives birth.
Sally claimed that the publicity about the divorce battle could encourage someone to attempt to kidnap the child, although major media sources found his concern to be highly unlikely.
The identity of the surrogate has not been released, and where and when she is expected to give birth has also not been released to the public.
Meanwhile, Shepherd is continuing to push for full custody of the unborn baby.
