The View reveals Elisabeth Hasselbeck is returning to co-host after long absence from show sparking fury among fans

THE View has revealed Elisabeth Hasselbeck is returning to co-host after a long absence from the show following her firing nine years ago.
Hasselbeck, 44, will temporarily be rejoining The View through August but the decision has already sparked fury among some fans.
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Hasselbeck was previously on The View between 2003 and 2013Credit: Getty Images – Getty
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Elisabeth is set to temporarily return to The View on August 3Credit: Getty
The former TV personality told PEOPLE: “It will be an honor to cohost The View, share our bestselling children’s book, ‘Flashlight Night’, and as always tackle hot topics!”
“Pray for me y’all!”
Elisabeth was previously a conservative panelist on the show throughout seasons seven and 16.
She is set to return on August 3 as American political advisor Alyssa Farah Griffin will reportedly soon be named as Meghan McCain’s full-time replacement on ABC’s The View.
In response to the news, one fan commented on PEOPLE’s Twitter post: “No I’ll pass didn’t like you the first time around don’t see you being any better the second time around.”
“Ugh, why are we being punished?” said a third.
A fourth wrote: “Why would you subject yourself to that CRAZY place?!!!!”
Longtime host Elisabeth was a staple on The View panel for more than a decade that spanned from 2003 to her exit in 2013.
In March 2013, reports spread that the outspoken host had been fired for having views that are “too conservative.”
During an episode just days later, legendary anchor Barbara Walters, 90, slammed the rumors for being “particularly false” and claimed there are “no plans for Elisabeth to leave this show.”
However, ABC later confirmed she would be leaving The View to join Fox & Friends and her last day on the show was July 10 of that year.
In 2019, Elisabeth wrote about her experience on The View in the book Point of View: A Fresh Look at Work, Faith, and Freedom. She also revealed the moment she learned she would no longer be employed by the show.
In her book, she wrote that a producer and ABC executive came to her office and informed her that The View would be “going in a less political direction” – meaning her contract would not be renewed.
“I could not breathe – literally, could not breathe,” Elisabeth recounted, noting that she then “asked permission” to get her inhaler, according to USA Today.
“I was bent over – shock, asthma and betrayal all stealing my wind,” she added.
Prior to Elisabeth’s firing, the mom of three attempted to quit the show during a commercial break, according to Variety.
Variety‘s Ramin Setoodeh wrote about how Elisabeth had a fiery exchange of words on August 2, 2006, with Barbara Walters and Joy Behar.
Once the show cut to commercial and Behar attempted to calm the situation, Elisabeth said: “What the f***. I don’t even swear. She has me swearing. This woman is driving me nuts. I’m not going back.
“I can’t do the show like this. She just reprimanded me, and she knew exactly what she was doing. Good-bye! I’m off. Write about that in the New York F***ing Post!”
Setoodeh said Elisabeth then hid in her dressing room until the show’s exec producer Bill Geddie urged her to go back on the set.