Fox News Star Returns to ‘The View’

Abby Huntsman is back at the very table she once blasted — and the internet is already buzzing over the dramatic return.

The former co-host of The View made a surprise comeback Monday, stepping in as a guest host while Alyssa Farah Griffin is on maternity leave. Sitting alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, and Sunny Hostin, Huntsman tried to strike a warm tone — but her rocky history with the show is impossible to ignore.

“It’s like no time has passed,” Huntsman said on-air. “It’s weird sitting here… but congratulations to Alyssa. All the joy in the world.”

The 39-year-old former Fox & Friends personality previously co-hosted the daytime talk show from 2018 to 2020 before abruptly walking away — a departure that quickly spiraled into controversy.

Huntsman didn’t just quietly leave. In the years following her exit, she openly torched the show’s behind-the-scenes culture.

On her podcast in 2021, she accused executives of fostering what she described as a “toxic environment” driven by ratings and tabloid drama.

“You would see people act in ways that were not OK,” she said at the time. “It was very much part of the toxic environment… and here we were criticizing others for the same thing.”

She went even further, revealing how relieved she felt after quitting.

“When I walked out of that building, I was living again,” Huntsman said. “I could breathe.”

Those comments, combined with reported tensions with former co-host Meghan McCain, painted a picture of a show plagued by internal friction — even as it dominated daytime TV.

So her return? Not exactly drama-free.

Despite her past criticism, Huntsman appeared comfortable slipping back into the panel.

She reflected on her earlier days on the show, even reminiscing about being pregnant at the same time as Sara Haines.

“There’s something special about having a baby while you’re on the show,” she said, keeping the mood light.

Behind the scenes, however, her return signals something bigger: ABC continues to rotate conservative voices into the lineup, testing different personalities to balance the panel.

Recent fill-ins have included Savannah Chrisley and Elisabeth Hasselbeck — both bringing strong right-leaning perspectives to the table.

The political fireworks didn’t take long to ignite.

During Monday’s episode, Huntsman joined the panel in criticizing President Donald Trump over controversial remarks regarding the death of former FBI Director Robert Mueller.

“For Donald Trump, this is when he hits rock bottom,” Huntsman said. “This is where he can’t help himself. It’s indefensible.”

Still, she framed her return as part of a broader personal evolution — saying time away from daily television made her more passionate about issues like free speech and media accountability.

“I’m more concerned about my country,” she told viewers. “And I don’t take sitting at this table for granted.”

This isn’t Huntsman’s first time back. She previously guest-hosted in 2021 and again in 2024, each time receiving a warm on-air welcome from her former colleagues.

But this return hits differently.

For critics, it raises an obvious question: how do you go from calling a workplace “toxic” to stepping right back into it?

For fans, it’s pure daytime TV gold — a full-circle moment packed with tension, history, and just enough unresolved drama to keep viewers hooked.

One thing is certain: whether it’s reconciliation or just good television, Abby Huntsman’s return proves The View still thrives on the very drama she once walked away from.