Whoopi Goldberg absent from “The View,” tests positive for COVID again

Joy Behar announced Goldberg's diagnosis live on the air.

Whoopi Goldberg is once again absent from The View after testing positive for COVID.

Joy Behar, who fills in for Goldberg as moderator every Friday, began Thursday's live show with a note about the Oscar-winning Ghost star's health.

"You might have noticed Whoopi is not here, because Whoopi has tested positive for COVID," the 81-year-old announced at the top of the program. "You know, it's going around, still. So, you have to be careful!"

Legal expert and cohost Sunny Hostin added that Goldberg, 68, contracted the virus as part of "a summer surge," speculating that a new booster shot for the coronavirus vaccine would be available later this year.

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for The View and Goldberg's publicist for comment.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related: Whoopi Goldberg blew her mother's ashes into water at Disneyland's It's a Small World ride: 'I'd scoop some of her up'

Goldberg has temporarily vacated her post at The View several times in the past, including in September 2023, when she missed the show's season 27 premiere after testing positive for COVID.

The Hollywood icon remained in good spirits about the diagnosis.

"Hey, in spite of everything you've heard, and let me just make sure that you know it's actually me," Goldberg said, lowering her face mask in a video clip that played at the beginning of the season 27 premiere. "See, it's me. I am not at Burning Man. I'm not still in Italy, I'm not doing stuff, I'm not trying to change the outcome of the election — I just, I have COVID. I just have COVID."

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.