Rosie O'Donnell is Leaving "The View"

It's now official. ABC News has confirmed that Rosie O'Donnell, the topic of recent rumors, is leaving "The View," which she has co-hosted for much of the last year. During the past year, numerous insiders have claimed that O'Donnell was feeling pressure from outside and inside the production (she has long been rumored to have a rocky relationship with the show's creator, Barbara Walters), and had no intention of renewing her contract when it came up at the end of this season.

The reason was financial, according to official reports. Brian Frons told ABCNews.com, "Going in we knew we would have an amazing year with her, and that anything beyond that would be gravy. But we were willing to take the chance because we understood what a coup it was to entice Ro back to daytime television. So here we are a year later, and while we've tried to come to terms on a deal that would extend her co-hosting duties on 'The View,' we find ourselves unable to agree on some key elements."

Barbara Walters, often seen to be at odds with O'Donnell, said the parting was amicable. "I induced Rosie to come back to television on 'The View' even for just one year. She has given the program new vigor, new excitement and wonderful hours of television. I can only be grateful to her for this year. I am very sad that ABC Daytime could not reach an agreement with her for a second year. We will all miss Rosie on 'The View,' and hope she will be back with us often next season. She remains for me a cherished friend and colleague."

The past year has been anything but smooth sailing for O'Donnell, who first broke into the entertainment business as a stand-up comic on Ed McMahon's "Star Search," and went on to star in such Hollywood films as "A League of Their Own," before getting her own talk show. During the past twelve months, O'Donnell has been at the middle of several controversies. In December of 2006, after an airing of the show with Danny DeVito which had garnered a bit of controversy, O'Donnell is quoted as saying: "You know, you can imagine in China it's like, 'Ching-chong, ching-chong. Danny DeVito. Ching-chong, ching-chong-chong. Drunk. The View. Ching-chong.'"