Jenny McCarthy to join ‘The View’ as co-host

NEW YORK – Actress and former Playboy playmate Jenny McCarthy was named Monday as the next co-host to join the panel of “The View.”

Barbara Walters, who created the ABC weekday talk show in 1997 and has since served as a co-host, made the widely expected announcement on the air.

“We love her because she’s fun, she’s uninhibited and she’s opinionated enough to help us begin the latest chapter in ‘The View’ history,” Ms. Walters said.

Miss McCarthy arrives at the start of the 17th season on Sept. 9.

She has previously made 17 appearances on “The View” and guest-hosted eight times.

The 40-year-old Miss McCarthy began her career posing for Playboy and has since starred in TV sitcoms and appeared in films including “Scary Movie 3.”

She has emerged as a controversial activist campaigning about the dangers of vaccines, which she believes triggered her son’s autism.

Miss McCarthy will join “The View” as Joy Behar prepares to leave after being a fixture on the show since its premiere.

A remaining vacancy was created last week by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who exited to join Fox News Channel. There is no word on when that slot will be filled.

And there will be yet another opening before much longer: Ms. Walters has said she is retiring from television next year.

Other co-hosts of “The View” remain Sherri Shepherd and Whoopi Goldberg.