Whoopi Goldberg Returns to ‘The View’ After 2-Week Absence to Film Soap Opera

Whoopi Goldberg is back on The View after a two-week absence.

The co-host and moderator, 70, returned to the ABC talk show on Monday, Dec. 1 after missing several episodes to film her guest arc on a soap opera in Italy, she revealed to viewers.

Goldberg first announced her time away from the show on Nov. 17, sharing that she’d be working in Italy. Back in June, she revealed she landed a role on the popular Italian soap opera, Un Posto Al Sole.

“I learned a lot because I’d never done a soap opera,” Goldberg said of filming in Naples, Italy. “Doing a soap opera in a different language, in a different country, made for a really interesting time.”

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Although it “rained every day” while Goldberg was filming her guest appearance, she still “had the best time” on set, joking that she “was actually working” while overseas (and sent her co-hosts videos to prove it).

”Starring in a fake soap opera sounds so much better than living through the real one,” Ana Navarro added, referring to the political state of the U.S.

Goldberg previously announced her guest appearance in Un Posto Al Sole via an Instagram video back in June, when she told fans she was “happy” to be joining the cast. Production company Fremantle Italia also shared that Goldberg’s character would make her debut on the show in 2026 as part of a multi-episode storyline.

“They know it’s a crazy idea, I know it’s a crazy idea, but what a wonderful thing to do,” the actress and host said at the time. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited. No, my Italian is not perfect, but we’ve worked it out. Ciao! See you on TV.”

During the Nov. 13th episode of The View‘s Behind the Table podcast, Goldberg elaborated on her role and said it came about as she was “looking for things to do.”

“I only know soap operas here,” she said. “I love a soap opera. I love it. I don’t know how they work there. I don’t know if they do four lines from here, three lines from there. I don’t know how it works. But it will all be new.”

“I wish I could take y’all with me,” she added of her colleagues on the talk show. “I might be able to shoot something on my cell… It’s time. It’s time for me to do some things in addition to this.”

Goldberg’s two-week absence from the show follows her on-air 70th birthday celebration on Nov. 13, as well as Joy Behar missing multiple episodes due to an iPad falling on her foot and breaking her toe.

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.