New York Post

‘View’ hosts take look back

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THE original cast of “The View” — sans creator Barbara Walters — reunited Monday to tape a 25th anniversar­y special for the hit ABC daytime talk show.

Star Jones, Debbie Matenopoul­os, Joy Behar and Meredith Vieira taped the special at Manhattan’s Essex House, where they’d all auditioned for the show before its 1997 debut.

“The only person missing was [Walters]. The taping was for an ABC reunion that’s in the works,” an insider told Page Six.

Another insider confirmed to us that the cast reunited “as part of the 25th anniversar­y special” — but specifics are being kept under wraps.

The special “is not just for one episode,” the source said. “They’re still editing and figuring out when it’s going to air.”

Behar is the only original host still sitting at the table dishing out hot topics daily. She returned to “The View” in 2015 after exiting in 2013.

Vieira and Jones both left in 2006 after nine years. Jones is also returning to TV as host of “Divorce Court” in September. Matenopoul­os has the distinctio­n of being the first co-host to ever get the boot from the show.

“The View” subsequent­ly became notorious for its game of musical chairs with its hosts. Producers are currently searching for a replacemen­t for Meghan McCain, who had a tumultuous exit from the daytime gab fest last year.

The OG crew celebrated their reunion with dinner at Avra, where they were spotted “laughing and carrying on like old friends do,” our first source said.

Avra owner Nick Tsoulos joined the ladies for a drink. Jones shared the moment on Instagram, writing: “Wouldn’t you like to have been a fly on the wall at our post-tape dinner . . . Take a little time to enjoy this #OG View!”

Vieira has said of the show’s launch: “There was no guarantee . . . We’re taking this thing out for a ride and could have crashed on the side of the highway. And 25 years later, it’s still chugging along.”

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