New report claims that Walters knew all along, is furious word of it leaked to the press

Mar 18, 2013 20:31 GMT  ·  By
Barbara Walters reportedly wants Elisabeth Hasselbeck out the door, replaced on The View
   Barbara Walters reportedly wants Elisabeth Hasselbeck out the door, replaced on The View

Even though she denied last week that Elisabeth Hasselbeck was also leaving The View, Barbara Walters is determined to see her out the door, says a new report in Page Six. The ratings have been down and only fresh faces at the table could assist them back up again.

For the time being, though, Hasselbeck’s departure has been put off for a short while, while Walters tries to find out who could have leaked the story to the press. She’s fuming about it, the tab claims.

“Dumping Joy Behar, who was there 16 years, and Hasselbeck would be the fastest way to do it, they decided. After giving Behar the bad news last week and letting her bow out gracefully, someone leaked the Hasselbeck thing,” an insider says.

“Some enemies she has on the show saw their chance to get back at her. Barbara was spitting mad that it got mishandled, and called off the firing over [last] weekend,” adds the same tipster.

So, Barbara will wait until all this blows over and only afterwards axe Elisabeth from the show. In her place, she will bring someone less conservative and more likeable, like Brooke Shields, notes the same media outlet.