EXCLUSIVE: Whoopee! Comedian Goldberg crushes rumors that she's leaving The View by signing a sweet $2.5 million deal to stay at the talk show

  • Whoopi Goldberg's $5 million-a-year contract with The View ended this year
  • She has signed a new one-season deal with the Disney-owned network to return for $2.5 million, half of her previous salary, sources say
  • Goldberg will remain on her four-day work schedule, leaving the live Friday broadcasts for original The View co-host Joy Behar to continue moderating
  • Goldberg also doesn't participate in The View's post show live stream three times a week, which is moderated by Behar as well  
  • The View has also locked in former CNN legal contributor Sunny Hostin for season 20 
  • Good Morning America correspondent Sara Haines is also expected to join the show permanently
  • Michelle Collins, Candace Cameron-Bure and Raven-Symone are expected to announce their departures from the show between now and mid-July

Despite rumors of Whoopi Goldberg leaving The View, the moderator of the long-running ABC talk show has signed a new contract to return for Season 20, Daily Mail Online can reveal.   

Goldberg, who's four-year $5 million-a-year contract ended this year, has signed a new one-season deal with the Disney-owned network to return for $2.5 million, half of her previous salary.

A source close to the show tells Daily Mail Online that the current plan is to have the 60-year-old comedian remain on her four-day work schedule, leaving the live Friday broadcasts for original The View co-host Joy Behar to continue moderating. 

 Whoopi Goldberg, whose four-year $5 million-a-year contract ended this year, has signed a new one-season deal with the Disney-owned network to return for $2.5 million, half of her previous salary.  She's welcomed Democratic presidential candidate to The View on several occasions

 Whoopi Goldberg, whose four-year $5 million-a-year contract ended this year, has signed a new one-season deal with the Disney-owned network to return for $2.5 million, half of her previous salary.  She's welcomed Democratic presidential candidate to The View on several occasions

It was previously rumored that Goldberg, pictured above with Behar (left), Raven-Symone (rear second right), Toni Braxton (front second right), Paula Faris (rear right) and Faris' friend Meredith (front right), was leaving the show

It was previously rumored that Goldberg, pictured above with Behar (left), Raven-Symone (rear second right), Toni Braxton (front second right), Paula Faris (rear right) and Faris' friend Meredith (front right), was leaving the show

Goldberg also doesn't participate in The View's post show live stream three times a week, which is moderated by Behar as well.

'Despite telling everyone she was leaving the show, someone talked some sense into Whoopi about walking away and leaving all that money on the table,' the source said. 'Though she has numerous outside ventures in addition to The View, none of them bring in the payday she gets for her work on the show. 

'Besides, she knew Joy was gunning for her position and Whoopi is very competitive and didn't want to turn things over that easily.'

The Oscar winner's schedule at The View is pretty light, arriving by 8.30 am and leaving by 12.30 pm most days.

Her deal also allows her to take off time for guest appearances on other TV shows and to film movie roles.

The View has also locked in former CNN legal contributor Sunny Hostin for Season 20. 

ABC News snatched up Hostin as soon as her CNN contract was up in February and signed her to the company as a Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst. 

Hostin has been appearing on The View fairly regularly since ABC signed her, but will become a full-time presence on the talk show starting in September.

'Two years ago the network courted Sunny and she was supposed to be apart of season 18 with Whoopi, Rosie O'Donnell and Nicolle Wallace. Things fell apart during a last minute chemistry test between the ladies and the deal never happened. ABC knew they made a bad decision,' the source said.

Daily Mail Online previously reported that Hostin was a frontrunner for The View during its 2014 overhaul, but the job went to reality star October Gonzalez. 

Two weeks before the show returned that September, Gonzalez was replaced by actress Rosie Perez.

Also look for Good Morning America correspondent Sara Haines to join the show permanently. 

ABC News executives are really high on Haines, who has made regular appearances on The View over the last year. 

The talk show even hosted a baby shower for the 38-year-old TV talent in February, before she took maternity leave to give birth to her son, Alex Richard.

'The network loves Sara and so does Whoopi, who has been vocal about saying to executives that Sara should have always been hired over GMA's Paula Farris,' shared the source, before adding: 'After more than a year of working with her, Whoopi still can't stand Paula and thinks she's the wrong fit for the show.'

Despite Goldberg's gripes about Farris, network sources say ABC News has no plans to ditch her on The View. 

'She'll be back for sure, no matter how much she drives Whoopi crazy,' the source added.

Expect The View hosts Michelle Collins, Candace Cameron-Bure and Raven-Symone to announce their departures from the show between now and mid-July.

Collins is rarely seen on the show, as ABC News has reduced her to one appearance on The View a week. 

The View hosts Michelle Collins (second left), Cameron-Bure (right)  and Raven-Symone (center), pictured with Faris (left) and Behar (second right) are expected to announce their departures from the show between now and mid-July

The View hosts Michelle Collins (second left), Cameron-Bure (right)  and Raven-Symone (center), pictured with Faris (left) and Behar (second right) are expected to announce their departures from the show between now and mid-July

Since she moved to New York City from Los Angeles for the gig, the network has had her appear on Good Morning America and host a few specials regarding the reality show The Bachelor.

'They even omitted her from Best Friend Week a few weeks ago on The View. Every co-host had their best friend co-host except Michelle,' the source informed.

Cameron-Bure is returning to the Full House reboot for Netflix, Fuller House, for season two and is unavailable for the first three months of the show. 

The New York Daily News reports that the 40-year-old conservative Christian also hates commuting between New York City where the show is live and Los Angeles where her family still lives.

'She hates the commute and being away from the family. Between Fuller House and those Hallmark Channel movies she does, she'd rather focus on being an actress,' offered the source.

Lastly, Symone has been one of the most controversial hosts of The View in the show's history. 

Fans have heavily criticized her uninformed opinions on the talk show and her constant reminder that she's 'not good with her words'. 

Viewers of the show even started a petition to have her removed from the show, which has 139,407 signatures to date.

'Simply put, she just may be the worst hire in the history of this show,' admitted the source.

The View will air new shows through August 5 and break for its summer hiatus.

 

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