Longtime The View co-host Joy Behar was missing from the Hot Topics table for nearly a week. Now, she's back and dishing on the surprising, everyday mishap that caused her "very painful" absence.

TL;DR
  • Joy Behar was absent from The View for four days, making her anticipated return on Friday, November 14, 2025.
  • Her extended absence was due to a broken toe, suffered after an iPad dropped onto her foot.
  • Fellow co-host Whoopi Goldberg kept viewers updated, while the rest of the panel capably managed the show's daily discussions.

Imagine this: you're unwinding at home, perhaps catching up on some news on your tablet, when disaster strikes. Not a major world event, but a personal one involving gravity and an electronic device. For The View's beloved co-host Joy Behar, that seemingly minor moment turned into a "very painful" week-long absence from the Hot Topics table.

Fans started noticing something was up when Behar, who typically takes Mondays off, didn't appear on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Whoopi Goldberg, ever the steady moderator, initially kept things vague. "Joy is out today, hopefully she'll be back tomorrow," Goldberg told the audience. But when Wednesday, November 12, 2025, rolled around and Behar was still missing, Whoopi offered a bit more insight.

"Now, Joy is out because she hurt her foot, and hopefully she’ll be back here tomorrow."

— Whoopi Goldberg, The View, November 12, 2025 (Source: Entertainment Weekly, "Joy Behar Has Missed Three 'The View' Episodes in a Row — and Whoopi Goldberg Just Gave a Health Update", November 13, 2025)

The mystery deepened as Thursday, November 13, 2025, also passed without Joy. Viewers were understandably concerned. Finally, on Friday, November 14, 2025, Joy Behar made her return, albeit with a slight change to the show's usual opening. Instead of walking out with her co-hosts, the panel was already seated, with Behar sporting a more comfortable pair of slides and a bandage on her foot.

The 83-year-old comedian wasted no time in revealing the culprit. "I dropped my iPad on my foot and I broke my toe. And they put the toes together because it’s broken, and it’s very, very painful," she explained to a relieved audience. She even brought her right foot to the edge of the table to show off the bandage wrapped around her three middle toes. "I do not recommend you dropping anything on your toes," she quipped, a testament to her enduring humor even in pain. (Source: TV Insider, "Joy Behar Details ‘Very Painful’ Injury Upon Returning to ‘The View’", November 14, 2025)

The Unexpected Week Without Joy: How The View Panel Kept the Show Moving

While Joy was recuperating, the Hot Topics table wasn't left empty. The other co-hosts – Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin – stepped up, ensuring the show continued its lively discussions. Ana Navarro, who typically fills in on Mondays and Fridays, found herself with an extended gig, sitting in for Joy for multiple days mid-week.

The panel certainly didn't shy away from making headlines. During Behar's absence, they notably conducted a contentious interview with Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman. Sunny Hostin, a legal expert, confronted Fetterman directly, questioning his decision to side with Republicans in a vote to end a six-week government shutdown. Hostin didn't hold back, asking, "Why bring a butter knife to a gun fight?" (Source: Entertainment Weekly, "Joy Behar Has Missed Three 'The View' Episodes in a Row — and Whoopi Goldberg Just Gave a Health Update", November 13, 2025) It was a moment that underscored how the show's dynamic, even with a missing key player, remains as sharp as ever.

Whoopi Goldberg even managed to inject a bit of levity into the situation, joking about her own discomfort. "I’m sitting like this because I’m cold as hell," she told the studio audience. "I don’t know why it’s so cold in this room, but every day we beg and plead, 'Please, can we have a little heat?' And they say, 'No, make your own!'" It's a reminder that even when things get serious, the personalities at the table keep things real and relatable for viewers.

More Than Just a Stubbed Toe: Understanding the Reality of a Broken Digit

A broken toe might sound like a minor inconvenience, but as Joy's experience shows, it's far from it. She emphasized how "very painful" the injury was, a sentiment anyone who's suffered a similar mishap can attest to. Sunny Hostin, upon hearing about Joy's accident, even offered the services of her husband, Emmanuel Hostin, an orthopedic surgeon. Joy, ever independent, declined the direct consultation but did send a photo of her bruised and injured toe to Sunny, who confirmed it looked severely hurt.

The typical recovery time for a broken toe, according to medical experts like those at Mayo Clinic, usually falls between 4 and 6 weeks. (Source: GameRevolution, "Joy Behar Reveals Her ‘Painful’ Injury on The View", November 14, 2025) This isn't a quick fix; it involves careful management, often including buddy-taping the injured toe to an adjacent one, as Joy mentioned was done for her. It highlights a trade-off: a simple accident can lead to a prolonged recovery period, impacting daily life and, in Joy's case, her on-screen presence.

Think about that moment when a heavy book slips from your grasp, or a forgotten can rolls off the counter, landing with a thud on your unsuspecting foot. The immediate jolt of pain is usually fleeting, but for Joy, a simple tech accessory brought prolonged agony. For instance, my neighbor once dropped a weighty coffee mug directly on her big toe while unloading the dishwasher. What seemed like a momentary bruise quickly escalated into a hairline fracture, requiring weeks in a specialized shoe and altering her daily routine significantly, much like Joy's experience with the iPad.

A Resilient History of Comebacks and Enduring Commitment to The View

Joy Behar's commitment to The View is well-documented, spanning decades. She's been a staple on the show since its debut in 1997, a true original. Her tenure, however, hasn't been without its own dramatic breaks. She took a hiatus from 2013 to 2015, and has openly shared that she was actually "fired twice" by the late Barbara Walters, once reportedly over a conflict involving politics. (Source: Page Six, "Joy Behar was absent from two consecutive episodes of ‘The View’ without explanation", November 13, 2025) Yet, she always found her way back to the table.

Her return in 2015, she revealed, was spurred by the political landscape of the time. "I went back to do politics. They told me, 'It’s going to be smart, and we’re going to pay you more money,'" she recounted. (Source: The Sun, "THE View’s Joy Behar reveals she suffered a gruesome injury that caused her to miss several episodes of the talk show", November 14, 2025) This long history of resilience and her willingness to return speaks volumes about her dedication to the show and its audience, even in the face of personal injury. Whoopi Goldberg, for her part, also boasts an impressive run, joining the panel in 2007 and maintaining the longest consecutive streak on the show.

"I dropped my iPad on my foot and I broke my toe. And they put the toes together because it’s broken, and it’s very, very painful. I do not recommend you dropping anything on your toes."

— Joy Behar on her injury, The View, November 14, 2025

FAQ: Your Burning Questions About Joy Behar's Absence Answered

What caused Joy Behar's recent absence from The View? Joy Behar missed several episodes because she broke her toe after accidentally dropping her iPad on her foot. When did Joy Behar return to The View? She made her return to the show on Friday, November 14, 2025. How long is the typical recovery for a broken toe? Generally, a broken toe can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to heal, although this can vary depending on the severity of the injury. Has Joy Behar ever left The View before? Yes, Joy Behar was an original host from 1997 but took a hiatus from 2013 to 2015, returning to the show afterward.

Practical Takeaways from Joy Behar's Unexpected Week Off

  • Mind Your Surroundings: Even seemingly harmless objects like an iPad can cause significant injury if dropped. A little caution can save you a lot of pain.
  • Don't Underestimate Foot Injuries: A broken toe isn't just a minor inconvenience; it can be "very painful" and require weeks of recovery, impacting your mobility and daily routine.
  • Shows Go On: Whether it's The View or your own team at work, a strong ensemble can keep things running smoothly when a key member needs time off.
  • Resilience Pays Off: Joy's long history with The View, despite past departures and now an injury, highlights her enduring spirit and commitment to her craft.

Sources

  • Entertainment Weekly, "Joy Behar Has Missed Three 'The View' Episodes in a Row — and Whoopi Goldberg Just Gave a Health Update", November 13, 2025
  • InStyle, "Whoopi Goldberg Just Revealed Why Joy Behar Has Been Absent From 'The View'", November 13, 2025
  • Page Six, "Joy Behar was absent from two consecutive episodes of ‘The View’ without explanation", November 13, 2025
  • TV Insider, "Joy Behar Details ‘Very Painful’ Injury Upon Returning to ‘The View’", November 14, 2025
  • GameRevolution, "Joy Behar Reveals Her ‘Painful’ Injury on The View", November 14, 2025
  • The US Sun, "THE View’s Joy Behar reveals she suffered a gruesome injury that caused her to miss several episodes of the talk show", November 14, 2025