Abby Huntsman, the former conservative co-host of The View, is poised for a dramatic return to the daytime talk show this week as a guest host, despite her previous public allegations of a "toxic environment" on the program. Huntsman, 39, served as a panelist from 2018 to 2020, and her comeback was announced via a social media post by The View on Sunday. She joins a roster of temporary co-hosts filling in for Alyssa Farah Griffin, who is currently on maternity leave.
Departure and Revelations of Toxicity
Initially, Huntsman attributed her 2020 exit to assisting her father, Jon Huntsman, in his Utah gubernatorial campaign. However, in a 2021 episode of her podcast, I Wish Somebody Told Me, co-hosted with friend Lauren Leeds, she disclosed deeper reasons. Huntsman confessed that The View "did not reflect my values" and was "rewarding people for bad behavior." She elaborated that executives were "all about money and the tabloids," describing a culture where inappropriate conduct was tolerated, even as the show criticized others for toxic environments.
Producer Pressure and Refusal to Comply
Huntsman revealed a particularly contentious incident where a producer asked her to read an on-air statement denying reports of a toxic workplace. She refused, and the producer later texted her, "That was a mistake." Reflecting on her final day, Huntsman shared that her sister emailed her a news article during taping, citing an insider source claiming producers planned to fire her before she resigned. "When I was walking out of the building that day, I was living again," she said on her podcast. "I could breathe and feel myself breathing. I was present and I hadn't been present for the almost two years I was there."
Feud with Meghan McCain and Workplace Tensions
Prior to her departure, reports surfaced of a strained relationship between Huntsman and fellow conservative panelist Meghan McCain. A CNN Business article cited multiple sources describing a toxic work environment and a "soured relationship" between the two, who had a longtime friendship rooted in their Republican family backgrounds. Sources indicated tensions escalated when Huntsman discussed her children on-air following McCain's miscarriage, with one source stating, "Abby was sick of being berated by Meghan for perceived slights. She ultimately decided she didn't need this job and it wasn't worth it."
ABC's Response and Huntsman's Farewell
At the time, an ABC spokesperson denied the reports, telling CNN, "There has always been a fascination with the behind-the-scenes at the show since the show began, but they do a tough job by going out there every day to share their opinions and beliefs on live TV." In contrast, Huntsman struck a conciliatory tone in her goodbye message, calling The View the "most iconic show on television" with the "smartest women," despite her later criticisms.
Background and Current Co-Host Lineup
Before joining The View, Huntsman worked as a host on MSNBC and Fox News. During her tenure, she appeared alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Meghan McCain. Farah Griffin replaced McCain in 2022 after public clashes between McCain and other panelists. Other conservative commentators filling in for Farah Griffin include reality star Savannah Chrisley and former host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who served from 2003 to 2013. Hasselbeck has also criticized the show, telling Fox News in 2025 that it "refused to put anyone there who has a lick of sense on most days."
Huntsman's return marks a significant moment, highlighting the ongoing dynamics and controversies within one of daytime television's most talked-about programs.
