ENTERTAINMENTStar Jones Recalls Duping Barbara Walters by Announcing Her 'View' Exit on Air in 2006: 'I Always Do What Works for Me'
Star Jones announced her exit from 'The View' in a move that shocked Barbara Walters.
Sept. 25 2026, Updated 8:36 a.m. ET
Star Jones is looking back at the surprise move that caught Barbara Walters off guard when she announced her exit from The View on live television in 2006.
"I always do what works for me," Jones said during the September 22 episode of "The View: Behind the Table" podcast, where she reunited with former co-host Joy Behar to discuss their years on the daytime talk show.
Joy Behar Reminded Jones She Pulled a Fast One
Joy Behar revealed that Star Jones made the announcement earlier than she'd been scheduled to.
Behar brought up the announcement while the pair revisited some of their biggest memories from the ABC program.
"She pulled a fast one at the end," Behar told Jones, who agreed with her assessment.
The comedian recalled that Jones had been expected to announce her departure on Thursday but instead walked onto the set Tuesday and revealed she was leaving.
"You might've given Barbara a heart attack that day," Behar joked.
Jones responded by pointing to an unusual connection she later shared with Walters.
"Don't say that because we ended up both having open-heart surgery," she said. "That's how connected BW and I were; we both had aortic valve problems. We gave each other heart problems!"
Jones Also Reflected on the Show's Biggest Turning Point
Star Jones identified the Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck confrontation in 2007 as the turning point of the show.
The conversation covered more than the longtime panelist's departure, with Jones also discussing how the daytime program evolved during its early years.
She identified the 2007 confrontation between Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck as a major shift. She pointed to the incident when the producers used a split screen during the two panelists' heated exchange.
"That was when The View changed," Jones said. She argued that the show's disagreements became more contentious once that presentation style entered the mix.
- Joy Behar Claims 'The View' 'Begged Me to Come Back' After Barbara Walters Fired Her Twice: 'They Regretted It'
- Making Her Grand Return? Star Jones Teases Whether Or Not She Would Return To 'The View'
- 10 Of The Most Shocking Exits From 'The View': Meghan McCain, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Abby Huntsman, More
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Her Exit Had Already Been Planned
While it was she who announced her exit, Star Jones revealed that she felt like she had effectively been fired.
According to CBS News, Jones’ 2006 departure was originally supposed to unfold differently. She, Walters and The View co-creator Bill Geddie had agreed that Jones would announce her exit on June 29.
Instead, she made the announcement on June 27 after returning from a commercial break. She told viewers that the show was "moving in another direction" for its 10th season.
The unexpected timing surprised Walters and the other co-hosts. Jones later said she felt she had effectively been fired.
In a 2006 interview, Jones said she had learned in April that ABC would not renew her contract. She insisted that Walters and Geddie had been involved in the departure plan from the beginning.
Jones Joined 'The View' at the Beginning
Star Jones joined 'The View' in 1997 as part of the original panel.
Jones was part of the original The View panel when the daytime talk show debuted in 1997. She remained a regular co-host for nine seasons alongside Walters and Behar before her departure in 2006.
The Emmy-nominated television personality is now back around the table during the show's 30th season. She's filling in as a guest co-host while Whoopi Goldberg takes a temporary hiatus.
