Joy Behar startled The View’s audience by revealing the date of Whoopi Goldberg’s final show: “It’s time she steps down…”

Whoopi Goldberg was noticeably absent from The View on Wednesday, February 19, leading to questions from viewers about her whereabouts.

Instead of the usual five co-hosts, only four appeared on the ABC talk show: Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin.

Behar quickly addressed Goldberg’s absence, informing the audience of the reason behind it. “Unfortunately, I know you’ll be unhappy,

but Whoopi is not here with us,” she said. “She has the flu. Yes, feel better, Whoops. We miss you. Come back as soon as you can.”

She went on to acknowledge that illnesses are circulating widely. “It’s going around. Should we be wearing masks again?”

she asked, highlighting growing concerns about seasonal illnesses.

Griffin offered a practical suggestion, advising everyone to practice good hygiene. “Sanitize your hands. Wash them for 20 seconds,” she reminded. Haines lightheartedly added, “Don’t go around children!”

If Goldberg remains out sick on Thursday, February 20, fans may not see her return until Monday, February 24, as she typically has Fridays off. However, The View has not yet provided an official update on her expected return date.

This is not the first time Goldberg has taken a break from the show, and fans often speculate about her absences. Back in January, viewers were puzzled when she missed an episode following President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The reason for her absence was later explained on The View: Behind the Table podcast.

Goldberg shared that she had been invited to participate in a fashion show in Paris after her photoshoot with the brand Ami garnered significant attention. “I did a layout, a fashion layout, for a company called Ami, and apparently it sort of went through the roof, so they’ve invited me to come and be part of their fashion show in Paris,” she revealed at the time.

While her current absence is due to illness rather than an exciting international opportunity, fans are hopeful she will recover quickly. Until then, her co-hosts and viewers alike eagerly await her return to The View.