Joy Behar is leaving “The View.” ABC released a statement saying, “Joy Behar has been instrumental in the success of The View from the very beginning. We wish her all the best in this next chapter, and are thrilled that we have her for the remainder of the season.”Behar has been on the show for 16 years and is the last remaining original co-host of the show besides co-creator and executive producer, Barbara Walters.  In a phone interview, Behar said, “It seemed like the right time,” she said. “You reach a point when you say to yourself, ‘Do I want to keep doing this?’ There are other things on my plate I want to do — I’ve been writing a play, I’ve been neglecting my standup.”

During her time on The View, Behar has hosted talk shows on HLN and Current TV. Behar is open to doing more talk shows “I do like talk shows, I’m interested in talking to people,” she said. “I want to do an intelligent talk show where you have room to breath.” Behar reportedly had a meeting with CNN president Jeff Zucker, she would not elaborate on the meeting but called the meeting “positive” and that “CNN would be a great place” for her next show.

Behar expressed her gratitude to Barbara Walters for giving her the opportunity to be a part of the long running daytime chat fest “It is a smart talk show because somebody of her stature is leading the conversation; Barbara was one of the main reasons I took that job.”