Report: Whoopi to join 'The View'

LOS ANGELES, July 26 (UPI) -- ABC is in final talks to add Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd to the cast of its daytime chat show, "The View," The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

Citing a source familiar with the negotiations, the newspaper said an announcement is expected next week that Goldberg and Shepherd will succeed Rosie O'Donnell -- who left "The View" abruptly after helping deliver solid ratings in two years on the show.

ABC spokesman Karl Nilsson declined to comment.

Goldberg is an Oscar-winning actress who also served as host of the syndicated version of "The Hollywood Squares." Shepherd is a standup comedian who has appeared in such feature films as "Beauty Shop" and the upcoming "Who's You're Caddy?"

O'Donnell's departure left "The View" with two empty co-host seats, the Times noted, since Star Jones was never replaced when she left the show in 2006.

"The View" Executive Producer Bill Geddie said he was looking to add at least one African-American voice to the remaining cast of Barbara Walters, Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Joy Behar.

O'Donnell was pulling for Goldberg to join the show, the Times said, telling visitors to her blog this spring that Goldberg "would rock."