The New Season: A new ‘View’ co-host to be announced Monday

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“The View” table is going to be back at full capacity Monday.

Less than a week after Whoopi Goldberg’s debut, the ABC daytime chatfest plans to introduce a fifth co-host. Barbara Walters, the program’s grand dame and co-executive producer, said Wednesday that another panelist will officially be named to fill the seat that was vacated by Star Jones Reynolds in 2006.

“It’s been empty for a year, but this Monday, Sept. 10, if you tune in, you will find that we have somebody else joining the panel permanently,” Walters said during the program’s Hot Topics segment.

“I was only here a day, you replacing me already?” exclaimed Goldberg, who succeeded Rosie O’Donnell as the show’s moderator this season. “Oh my God, oh my God!”

“I should have said, ‘not instead of, but in addition to,’” Walters responded.

Since Jones Reynolds’ acrimonious departure, the position has been filled by a series of guest hosts, including comedian Sherri Shepherd, widely viewed as the front-runner for the job. Earlier this summer, ABC was in talks with the ‘Who’s Your Caddy” actress to join the show.

Shepherd did not immediately respond to an e-mail for comment, but on her personal website, she suggests fans e-mail Walters and executive producer Bill Geddie “to let them know that you’d like to see me more on The View (hint hint).”

-- Matea Gold