It’s Official: ‘The View’ Adds Meghan McCain as 'Conservative' Co-Host
Meghan McCain has officially signed onto “The View” as a regular co-host, Variety has learned exclusively.
McCain’s hire comes just days after she left Fox News, and shortly after the ABC daytime show parted ways with Jedidiah Bila.
McCain is expected to start in early October, joining the panel of Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Paula Faris, and Sunny Hostin.
ABC declined to comment on McCain.
Insiders say “The View” nabbed McCain because the show needs a stronger conservative voice, which it has been lacking since Elisabeth Hasselbeck left in 2013 when the series was buzzier, frequently making headlines for in-show sparring between the co-hosts with different political views.
McCain — the daughter of U.S. Senator and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain — has described herself as a Republican with liberal views on several social issues.
Since creator Barbara Walters retired in May 2014, “The View” has been playing a game of musical chairs, enduring numerous talent changes. Sherri Shepherd departed a few months later and then Rosie O’Donnell returned for one season, which was followed by a slew of brief stints by Nicolle Wallace, Rosie Perez, Raven Symone, Michelle Collins, Candace Cameron Bure, and most recently, Bila.
In recent months, ratings for the “The View” have started to climb with the Trump presidency, which has fueled the show’s Hot Topics debates. The show is seeing its best numbers in three years, averaging 2.8 million viewers a day under the watch of senior executive producer Hilary Estey McLoughlin and executive producers Candi Carter and Brian Teta.
At Fox News, McCain was a contributor and served as one of the co-hosts on the afternoon program “Outnumbered.” Prior, she hosted a series, “TakePart Live,” on the now-defunct Pivot network, and she was also a contributor to MSNBC and The Daily Beast. She first garnered media attention in 2007 for blogging about her experiences on the campaign trail when her father was running for president.
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