Why Is Sara Haines Unexpectedly Absent From ‘The View’?

Sara Haines was unexpectedly absent from Monday’s (September 29) live episode of The View.

The panelist, who is usually present from Monday through Friday (unlike cohosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, and Ana Navarro, who each have select days off each week), was missing from the morning lineup, and Goldberg explained that she had to appear for jury duty.

Haines first joined The View as a full-time member of the hosting lineup in 2016, during Season 20, but left the show in 2018 ahead of Season 22 so that she could become a part of  Good Morning America Day, which was later renamed Strahan & Sara (and then Strahan, Sara & Keke when Keke Palmer joined). Haines ultimately returned to The View in 2020 for Season 25 and has been a series regular ever since.

A self-declared independent voter, Haines remains one of the neutral voices of the hosting panel. The Iowa native is known for bringing the perspectives of non-partisan voters in political discussions to counter her cohosts, who are more defined in their political leanings.

Before The View, Haines’ career began at NBC, where she was a network page before becoming a production coordinator on Today and, eventually, a correspondent for that show. She later became a contributor for ABC News. She also hosted the game show The Chase and the network’s hidden camera show What Would You Do?

Haines returned as part of The View‘s Season 29 panel (alongside Goldberg, Behar, Navarro, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin) in September after the show announced no new changes to the lineup, despite some rumors circulating over the summer that there might be a mix-up in the cast

It is unclear when she will return, but some of her cohosts suspected she might get chosen for the full jury trial at hand. “Let’s not wish that on her,” Goldberg said of the possibility.

The View, weekdays, 11 a.m. ET, ABC

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