‘The View’ drops Barbara Walters’ Halloween costume tradition for third straight year
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘The View’ is once again skipping its annual Halloween costume episode, leaving behind a tradition started by its late creator, Barbara Walters.
The ABC daytime talk show will not feature its co-hosts in elaborate Halloween costumes for the third consecutive year, according to its upcoming schedule for October 2026.
However, the show’s 'Boo Are You Wearing' segment, featuring children dressed in costumes inspired by the year’s Hot Topics, will return on Friday.
The decision means viewers will see one familiar Halloween feature but miss the panel’s much-loved costume transformations.
'The View' drops Barbara Walters’ Halloween tradition
Walters started the Halloween costume tradition during ‘The View’s’ first season in October 1997, just two months after the show debuted.
Its first official Halloween episode aired on October 31, and the segment eventually became one of the program’s best-known annual features.
The tradition continued even after Walters left her role as co-host in May 2014, at the age of 84.
Over the years, she and the other panelists wore elaborate costumes, often transforming themselves into well-known figures and fictional characters.
Walters dressed as Marilyn Monroe in 2003 and George Washington in 2008. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg also joined the fun in 2016, dressing up as Marge Simpson from ‘The Simpsons.’
The last time the co-hosts appeared in their Halloween costumes was in 2023.
Sara Haines underwent a dramatic transformation with prosthetic makeup to portray Carl from ‘Disney’s Up!’, while Sunny Hostin painted her body blue to resemble a Na’vi from James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ films.
Brian Teta explains 'The View’s' Halloween costume cancellation
In 2024, ‘The View’ producer Brian Teta announced that the co-hosts would not dress up for Halloween because the episode fell too close to the presidential election.
Speaking to veteran co-host Joy Behar on the ‘Behind the Table’ podcast, Teta explained the decision.
“I’m going to announce something today that’s going to upset a portion of the audience, but I think it’s going to make you happy,” he said.
He then revealed that the hosts would skip their costumes that year because the show needed to remain live ahead of the election.
“This year, because it’s only a few days before the election and we need to be live, the hosts are not going to dress up for Halloween,” Teta explained.
Behar acknowledged that the tradition had continued for nearly three decades, although she admitted that putting together the elaborate costumes could be a hassle.
Teta, however, left the door open for its return, saying, “They’re iconic, it’s great, I’ll try to bring it back next year.”
He also explained that the costume episodes required considerable preparation and had to be taped in advance, making them difficult to manage so close to the election.
'The View' retains children’s Halloween costume segment
Despite Teta’s earlier promise, the co-host costume episode did not return in 2025 and is now absent for a third consecutive year in 2026.
The show’s upcoming schedule confirms that viewers will still get a Halloween-themed feature through 'Boo Are You Wearing.'
The segment sees children dress up in costumes inspired by topics discussed on the program, offering a different kind of Halloween celebration.
Walters, who died in December 2022 at the age of 93, helped establish a tradition that became closely associated with ‘The View.’ The elaborate costumes and themed set transformations remained part of the show’s identity long after her departure.
