Official: Jenny McCarthy Named Co-Host of 'The View'

Jenny McCarthy has officially been named a new co-host of ABC's The View starting this fall, the network confirmed Monday. Her first day will be Sept. 9, the first day of the daytime program's 17th season.

She joins The View as co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck exited the show for Fox News last week and Joy Behar prepares to depart when her contract expires at the end of the summer. With Barbara Walters also retiring at the end of next season, The View will be looking for more co-hosts to sit alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd.

"We are delighted that Jenny will be joining us as a permanent co-host on The View starting in September," Walters said. "Jenny brings us intelligence as well as warmth and humor. She can beserious and outrageous. She has connected with our audience and offers a fresh point of view. Jenny will be a great addition to the show as we usher in anexciting new chapter for The View."

McCarthy started her career as a Playboy model then transitioned to a TV career as host of MTV's Singled Out. She most recently hosted season two of the NBC summer reality series Love in the Wild in 2012 and had a self-titled late-night talk show on VH1 earlier this year, which wrapped its run in May. She has guest co-hosted The View eight times.