After nearly four years of appearing on "The View," Meghan McCain has announced that she
is leaving the show. Per The Guardian, Meghan, daughter of the late Republican Senator John
McCain, announced her plans to walk away from the series on Thursday, July 1st, and said
the decision to leave, quote, "took a lot of thought and counsel and prayer." Although
McCain explained that the primary reason for her departure was to spend more time with
her young daughter in their new home of Washington D.C., there has been speculation by some "The
View" fans surrounding her decision to leave.
Taking to Twitter, McCain responded to the "gossip" relating to her recent announcement.
She wrote on Thursday, July 8th:
"So much chatter, so much gossip, so many, many, many questions people are asking me
this past week. I pride myself on always taking big risks, rolling the dice, and making unpredictable
life and career choices ... I've never fit in a box and I never will. Live free or die."
Meghan McCain joined the hit daytime show as a permanent panelist back in October 2017,
appearing alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Joy, Sunny Hostin, and Sara Haines, among others.
Interestingly, she originally did not want to be a host, as she mentioned in her departure
announcement on YouTube. Her dad actually persuaded her to do it, telling her not to
give up an opportunity to work on an iconic show with Whoopi Goldberg.
Announcing her departure from "The View," McCain explained to her fellow co-stars,
"[...]this was not an easy decision ... and talking to my family and my close friends,
and, you know, look — COVID has changed the world for all of us and it changed the
way, at least for me, the way I am looking at life, the way I'm living my life, the way
I want my life to look like.”
Speaking to People, an insider revealed that Meghan's decision to quit the series was a
"recent" one. The source commented,
"ABC did want her to stay, but it was her decision for quite a few reasons that she
said in her statement — that she made the decision along with her family that it was
her time to step back."
In her departure announcement on "The View," McCain said that the real reason she's leaving
"The View" is to continue her life in Washington, D.C. She explained that she quickly left New
York City at the beginning of the pandemic, as her OB/GYN was concerned about the effects
of COVID-19 on pregnant women:
"I came to the D.C. area, which is where my husband and I have always split time, and
it's where I grew up splitting time.”
After living in D.C. during quarantine, McCain ultimately decided that she didn't want to
leave. She continued,
"We have this incredible life here. We're surrounded by my family, [my husband's] family,
by friends ... and I think as any new mom knows, when I think about where I want Liberty
to have her first steps, and her first words, I just have this really wonderful life here
that ultimately I felt like I didn't want to leave."
The announcement has been met with a mixed response from "The View" fans. One user tweeted
that a rumor was going around in which McCain was reportedly fired with two years left in
her contract, because her co-hosts did not want to work with her anymore. However, no
evidence has shown those rumors to be true.
Other fans were supportive of McCain. A Twitter user wrote,
"You know what @MeghanMcCain? Ignore the hateful trolls. If I'm being honest (and I am) I often
disagreed with your conservative views (but had to give you the nod when you were correct
as well). You got a bit overheated at times. But bravo to you for blazing your own trail."
Despite the mixed response to her departure, McCain was determined to maintain a positive
attitude in her announcement. She said,
"This show is hands down one of the greatest, most exhilarating, wonderful privileges of
my entire life ... I have had so many amazing experiences in my life and this is definitely
one of the top. It is a privilege to work alongside such strong, brilliant, intelligent,
incredible broadcasters like the four of you."
She continued, referring to her other co-hosts on "The View.":
"[You are the] most talented women on all of television, hands down."
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