ABC’s “The View” is abandoning one of its longest-running holiday traditions for the third consecutive year, as the politically outspoken daytime talk show faces federal scrutiny and questions about alleged behind-the-scenes budget cuts.
The show’s hosts, including Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin, will once again skip the elaborate Halloween costumes that once made the annual broadcast a fan favorite.
The decision comes during a turbulent period for the program, which has frequently drawn criticism from conservatives over its coverage of President Donald Trump and Republican politics.
Earlier this year, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed that the agency was investigating whether “The View” violated federal equal-time requirements for political candidates. The inquiry followed an appearance by Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico.
ABC has pushed back against the investigation, arguing that “The View” qualifies as a legitimate news interview program and is therefore exempt from those requirements. The dispute has raised questions about how political talk shows should be treated under federal broadcasting rules.
Meanwhile, speculation about financial pressures has added another wrinkle to the show’s latest programming decision.
An unnamed source previously told OK! Magazine that the elaborate Halloween productions were particularly expensive, requiring extensive costumes, professional makeup, elaborate sets and additional production staff.
Those reported expenses have fueled speculation that eliminating the annual spectacle could help ABC reduce costs. However, the network has not confirmed that financial concerns or the FCC investigation influenced this year’s decision.
The Halloween tradition dates back to the show’s early years under legendary journalist Barbara Walters. Over the decades, viewers watched the hosts transform into movie characters, historical figures and other recognizable personalities.
The last full-scale costume celebration aired in 2023, when Haines underwent an impressive transformation into Carl Fredricksen from Disney’s “Up,” while Hostin appeared as a blue-skinned character from “Avatar.”
The tradition first disappeared in 2024, just days before the presidential election.
Executive producer Brian Teta explained that the show’s increasingly political focus made it necessary to broadcast live rather than record an elaborate Halloween special in advance.
The following year, Teta offered another explanation, suggesting that discussing serious world events while wearing ridiculous costumes would undermine the show’s political conversations.
He also revealed that the 2024 Halloween broadcast, despite lacking the usual costumes, had delivered the show’s strongest Halloween ratings in four years.
That may have made the decision easier for ABC executives. Despite the budget rumors, “The View” remains a major ratings performer, averaging approximately 2.62 million viewers during its previous season.
Halloween won’t disappear from the program entirely. ABC has scheduled its popular “Boo Are You Wearing?” segment, featuring children dressed in creative costumes, for Friday, October 30. The broadcast will also include a performance from Broadway’s “The Rocky Horror Show.”
Still, for longtime viewers who enjoyed watching the hosts trade their heated political debates for outrageous Halloween outfits, the annual spectacle appears to be taking another year off.
And with the program’s political battles showing little sign of cooling down, it remains unclear whether the elaborate costume tradition will ever make a full comeback.
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In the case of the Halloween segment, we won’t see much difference from their regular broadcasts. Most of them normally look like they’re wearing weird costumes.