📰 NEWS FLASH: The real reason behind Whoopi Goldberg’s surprise absence from ‘The View’ is sparking intense debate online ⚡.NH

Whoopi Goldberg was missing from the “Hot Topics” table on Monday’s edition of The View, and her cohosts were all too eager to share why.

Joy Behar appeared in Goldberg’s spot at the table alongside Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin, and explained why she was on hand for a Monday show, when she’s usually off.

“If you’re wondering why I’m here on a Monday, and Whoopi is not, it’s because she’s in Italy filming a soap opera,” Behar explained. “She sent us a video letting us know how it’s going. So let’s watch that.”

The panelists then revealed a video of Goldberg in her hair and makeup chair getting ready for the show, which was being produced in Naples, and she revealed she was nervous.

“So I’ve worked with these ladies before. I think this is the third thing we’ve done together. So we’re here cleaning me up, and I met the two directors, met everybody, and it’s still very nerve-wracking,” Goldberg said in the video.

Hostin then explained the details of Goldberg’s role in the series, saying, “She plays an American translator. She moves into this apartment complex. It’s a very famous soap opera for people who live in Italy that are thrilled that Whoopi is going to be on the soap opera. I’m going to watch it.”

Goldberg’s casting in the series, titled Un Posto Al Sole, was first announced in June. The actress said in an Instagram announcement, “I just want to say how happy I am to be joining the cast of Un Posto Al Sole. They know it’s a crazy idea. I know it’s a crazy idea. But what a wonderful thing to do…. No, my Italian’s not perfect, but we’ve worked it out.”

She is expected to appear in multiple episodes of the series.

The View, weekdays, 11a/10c, ABC