14 DAY TRIAL // ABC is shaking things up with the lineup of co-hosts on The View after what many viewers have dubbed a disappointing season with Jenny McCarthy on board. She’s been let go, but so has been Sherri Shepherd and executive producer Bill Geddie.
TMZ reports that network bosses are determined to make the chemistry right again with the panel of ladies on the show, and they’re not shying away from a good, healthy, ol’ fashioned bloodbath if it’s deemed the only possibility left to revive some of that magic.
It also notes that McCarthy is considered mainly responsible for ruining said magic. When confirmation came that she would be joining the other co-hosts, many viewers deemed her the worst choice possible. Eventually, most of them warmed up to her to the point where ratings did not take a serious hit – but they didn’t go through the roof either.
It is believed that this shake-up will make things right again. TMZ says that Ross Mathews and Jesse Palmer are being wooed as co-hosts.
At the time this broke online, ABC was refusing to comment because of its outstanding policy not to address anything until they have a signature on the dotted line.
However, Sherri has issued a statement to Deadline to set the record straight: all those rumors saying she was leaving are on point. She says nothing of being fired, however.
“It’s been seven wonderful years on The View and after careful consideration it is time for me to move on. I am extremely grateful to Barbara Walters and Bill Gedde 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,” she says.
Jenny too has confirmed the news on Twitter, though she tries to make it sound as if she and Sherri are a team and the decision to leave was some kind of protest.
“If Sherri goes... I go too. #sisters,” she writes. “My View will be changing too. As will with many hard working folks. Thanks to everyone at the show for your dedication and an amazing year.”
Her most recent tweet is a photo of herself and Sherri, with the caption “These are my Avengers and we will be back!”
It sure sounds like the decision to let them go came from ABC without any kind of warning and, as such, was anything but amicable. It also sounds as if Jenny is hinting that her next project will be something with Sherri and, if that turns out to be the case, then the most burning question will be: will those fans who watched them on The View ditch that show to tune in for their new one?