Rosie O’Donnell Shares Her Thoughts on a Potential Return to The View
Rosie O’Donnell hasn’t completely ruled out a possible return to The View.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Thursday, June 18, O’Donnell, 64, was asked if she would be interested in guest hosting, similar to her former View counterpart Elisabeth Hasselbeck who made a comeback earlier this year.
“I would be open to guest host, but they haven’t reached out to me. So we’ll see what unfolds,” the comedian and ex-talk show host mentioned.
O’Donnell also reignited her rivalry with ex-cohost Hasselbeck, 49, acknowledging that she watched the latter’s return to the ABC daytime talk show in March.
“It’s interesting, in the era of Trump, I think she’s exactly the kind of person they want on TV promoting their rhetoric, you know?” O’Donnell remarked, referring to Hasselbeck’s conservative stance.
O’Donnell was a part of The View from 2006 to 2007 (and again from 2014 to 2015) and famously had intense disputes with Hasselbeck over current events discussed on the show.
In May 2007, during a heated conversation about the Iraq war, producers opted for a split-screen display showing both O’Donnell and Hasselbeck—a decision O’Donnell still finds upsetting.
“Are you still bothered that the director opted for the split screen?” host Andy Cohen asked O’Donnell.
She replied, “Yeah, I’m still bothered, believe me. Mommy knows how to hold a grudge.”
In an October 2025 radio interview, O’Donnell alleged that the split-screen incident “was a set-up,” adding, “Our producer [was] not someone who could adjust on the fly … he wouldn’t have said, ‘Let’s go to a split screen.’ That was planned.”
O’Donnell left The View shortly after the controversial exchange, requesting to be released from her ABC contract.
“When I left the stage that day, I went to my dressing room to pack my belongings, intending to continue with the remaining segments … and just walked out and never returned,” O’Donnell recounted. “It felt like I was on a basketball team of five women, and one of them was constantly tripping me on my way to the hoop. … This was supposed to be my team.”
“They were right to have me leave that show,” she continued. “Arguing over trivial, fabricated topics is not a healthy way for me to contribute or serve the audience; it feels like a slow death.”
O’Donnell made a brief return to The View for five months in 2014 but left again in early 2015, citing health concerns.
“[My health] took a turn for the worse right before the holidays — [my doctor] was a bit worried,” she mentioned at the time. “While I can’t resolve my personal issues instantly, I can address my work situation. I spoke with them at ABC, and they were incredibly supportive.”
