'The View' Will Continue Production Despite Coronavirus Pandemic, Meghan McCain Says

On Sunday, ABC confirmed that The View will continue production in the coming week, and Meghan [...]

By Michael Hein

On Sunday, ABC confirmed that The View will continue production in the coming week, and Meghan McCain confirmed that she will return to the table. The View had its first episode without a live audience this week, and McCain was conspicuously missing from it. Fans are curious about how the co-host will handle the empty studio.

The official Twitter account of The View posted a teaser for Monday's episode, revealing that the show will "discuss the latest on the global response to the coronavirus pandemic." The guest co-host will be Good Morning America's Sara Haines, and ABC News' Dr. Jennifer Ashton will join the panel, as well. McCain added that she will be back on the air, too. Quote-tweeting the show, she assured her followers that she will be remaining on the show in spite of her often controversial input.

"I'll be seeing all of you at 11 am on [ABC] tomorrow and for the foreseeable future," she tweeted. "[The View] is soldiering on LIVE as usual. It's a privilege for me to be able to still have this platform and a giant megaphone to speak truth to power during this time of crisis."

The response was not necessarily positive to McCain's tweet, as many followers felt that she was being dramatic. Others simply responded to say that they would prefer the show without her on it.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble but the only people who are 'soldiering on' are those who are working the front lines, doctors, nurses, front line workers. You are a talk show host," one person wrote.

Others defended McCain and her tweet, pointing out that it made more sense in context for those who watch The View regularly. Last week, the show aired without a live audience, feeling that the crowd was too great a risk during the coronavirus outbreak. This drastically changed the tone of the show, but according to McCain it will carry on, regardless.

The View is not the only show adapting to its lack of audience, either. All of the late night shows recorded in both New York and Los Angeles have done away with their live audiences, some starting this past Thursday and others in the weeks to come, according to a report by Deadline. That includes The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

Cable shows are making the switch as well, including Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO. Experts say that this is an important measure, especially in the next two weeks when social distancing is the most critical. For more details on preventing coronavirus spreading, visit the CDC's website.

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