Meredith Vieira Reveals If She’d Return to ‘The View’

Meredith Vieira may still be taking on new projects, but there is at least one project that fans shouldn’t be expecting Vieira to add to her resumé – a return to The View. During a recent interview with E’s Daily Pop, during which she talked about her recent cameo on Peacock’s Kate and John, among other things, Vieira opened up about her thoughts on returning to the long-running ABC talk show 16 years after she last appeared at the discussion table as a permanent host.

Vieira, who served as The View‘s first moderator from its creation in 1997 until her departure in 2006, was quick to dash hope of a return. Asked if she could see herself one day returning to the talk show and sitting between current co-host Whoopi Goldberg and former co-host Meghan McCain, who left The View in August 2021 following a controversial four-year run, the journalist told the outlet, “You know, there’s a time for everything, I like to say, and I kinda did my time.” Vieira went on to joke, “That sounds like a prison term, actually.”

“I did nine years and I loved it. The show has evolved and it’s a different show and I think it’s fantastic,” Vieira continued. “For me, it was so great to be on the ground floor of something because… you have a bond with people when you’re creating something as a group.”

During the interview, Vieira also reflected on her time on The View, a time period she still has fond memories of. Vieira joined the talk show during its first season after her husband encouraged her to audition. She told the outlet, “What floored me was when I got done with the actual interview, I realized I really loved it… then I was convinced I wouldn’t get it because why would they hire me? But they did and it worked out great!” In 1997, she joined fellow panelists Star Jones, Debbie Matenopoulous and Joy Behar for The View‘s debut season.

This year, the talk show marked a major milestone – its 25th anniversary, which saw the original co-hosts reuniting. Reflecting on The View‘s success, Vieira credited Barbara Walters. She told E’s Daily Pop, “If we had not had [creator] Barbara Walters, I’m sure that show would’ve been canceled. But because of Barbara, ABC kept it on the air.” Vieira went on to call Walters “a force to be reckoned with,” adding, “She was then, and remains, an icon and she’s the kind of person that she doesn’t phone it in ever.”