Abby Huntsman Is Leaving The View to Support Her Father’s Gubernatorial Campaign

A new year, a new direction for The View co-host Abby Huntsman who is departing the daytime talk show on ABC after only 16 months — and her last episode airs this week. The Fox News alumna made the announcement on Monday, revealing that she’ll be leaving The View to pursue an opportunity close to her heart: her father’s gubernatorial campaign.

At the top of Monday’s episode of the long-running talk show, Huntsman indicated it wasn’t an easy decision. “This is always such a hard thing to do. And especially this table because this is a really special table. The most iconic show I think on television and the smartest women that I’ve ever worked with. But today I’m saying goodbye,” she said. She went on to reveal her future direction of helping dad Jon Huntsman, who most recently acted as the Ambassador of the United States to Russia.

She shared, “My number one priority has always been my family, and something that Whoopi [Goldberg] taught me the first day that I got here is that your family and your happiness are always Number 1. I was asked months ago by my dad, who is running for governor of Utah, to come help the campaign… and there’s no one that I believe in more than my own dad right now.”

"Today, I'm saying goodbye."@HuntsmanAbby announces she is leaving @TheView to help run her father's campaign for governor of Utah: "It's not often in life that you get these moments to go fight for something that you are so passionate about." https://t.co/VTJUxjEuW6pic.twitter.com/XsGahw3VPc

— The View (@TheView) January 13, 2020

She continued, “It’s not often in life that you get these moments to go fight for something that you are so passionate about and believe in.”

Huntsman wrapped her announcement by looking back fondly at her time on daytime TV (which isn’t to say she won’t return but, for now, it’s a departure). “I started at ABC. When I was 19, this was my first job, booking cars overnight for Good Morning America, and I never thought I’d be sitting right here at this table,” she said. “And so I just want to thank all of you, because… I love all of you here.”

Huntsman’s last episode will air this Friday.