Former "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Abby Huntsman will join ABC's "The View" next Tuesday, replacing Sara Haines, to kick off the show's 22nd season.
Haines left the ABC daytime talk show in late July to co-host the third hour of "Good Morning America" with Michael Strahan, prompting rumors to swirl shortly afterwards about Huntsman replacing her. Huntsman's move was confirmed in a statement Tuesday, and the show's senior executive producer Hilary Estey McLoughlin said they're excited to welcome Huntsman and have "an exciting season."
"She brings her unique life and professional experiences and has a smart, relatable and distinctive point of view on everything from pop culture to politics to parenthood," McLoughlin said. "We can't wait to return to the Hot Topics table with Abby joining our panel of incredibly talented women whose diverse voices have always played a significant role in the national conversation."
Huntsman also said she is ecstatic about returning to her "professional roots" with ABC.
"I couldn't be more excited to return to my professional roots at ABC News," Huntsman said. "I look forward to adding my own point of view to the most interesting and successful talk show on television today. Joining the women at 'The View' really is a dream come true!"
Huntsman, like co-host Meghan McCain, comes from a Republican political family and is the daughter of a prominent GOP politician. Huntsman's father, John Huntsman Jr., is the U.S. ambassador to Russia. He formerly served as Utah's governor and was a 2012 presidential candidate. He also served as ambassador to China during the Barack Obama administration and as ambassador to Singapore during the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations.
Abby Huntsman's journalism career started when she worked at ABC News as a correspondent in 2012. She went on to work at MSNBC and Fox News.
The roster of guests for the first month of the show's new season includes Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, former Secretary of State John Kerry, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, and actress Jane Fonda.
Huntsman will join McCain, Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, and Joy Behar, who are all returning.