Joy Behar takes over as host for absent Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg was MIA for the Season 27 premiere of “The View” Tuesday after testing positive for COVID-19.
Co-host Joy Behar filled in as moderator and acknowledged the “Ghost” actress’ absence at the top of the show.
“As you can see, Whoopi is not here,” Behar, 80, declared.
“She has COVID. It’s back!” the comedian added, referencing the rise in case numbers of the new COVID-19 variant, dubbed Pirola.
The “Sister Act” star, 67, is reportedly recovering well at her home in New Jersey.
“She’s on the mend,” Behar stated, allying the audience’s audible concerns. “She’s on the tail-end and she’ll probably be back this week, but sorry she’s not here for those of you who were looking forward to seeing her.”
The Post has contacted reps for “The View” and Goldberg for comment.
But on Tuesday’s episode of ABC’s “Behind The Table” podcast, executive producer Brian Teta told Behar, “We found out yesterday that Whoopi was not going to be on.”
This isn’t the first time Goldberg called out sick from work due to the coronavirus.
Last January, the Oscar winner didn’t return to the ABC daytime talk show after its holiday hiatus as she tested positive for COVID-19.
“Since [Goldberg’s] vaxxed and boosted, her symptoms are fortunately very, very mild,” Behar said at the time.
She tested positive for COVID again in November, meaning she is now battling the disease for a third time.
Goldberg has moderated the top-rated daytime show since 2007.
Along with Behar, the show’s lineup consists of Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Alyssa Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro.
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