Star Jones returns to 'The View'

Star Jones returned to The View on Wednesday, marking her first visit to the daytime talk show since her dramatic departure almost six years ago. “It was ugly. Everything around was ugly,” said Jones, regarding the on-air bombshell she dropped on her costars when she announced in June 2006 that she would not be returning to the program. “It was a bad emotional time. Nasty things were being said in the media… I made the decision that I wanted to go out on my own terms so that when I walked back in here, if I were ever invited, I would feel good about coming in.”

Jones returned to the show to raise awareness about women’s cardiac health and revealed details about her gastric bypass surgery from 2003, the resulting weight loss of which she and her fellow cohosts had attributed to “Pilates and portion control.” But her cohosts also took the opportunity to press Jones about her surprise decision, abrupt departure and her recent eyebrow-raising book. (“She writes a book called Satan’s Sisters about a bunch of talk show hosts who sound like bitches. It must have been about The Talk!” croaked Joy Behar.)

“Because we loved you, we did lie for you,” said Barbara Walters, who created the show and went head-to-head with Jones in the press during her departure. Back in June 2006, Jones left the program after ABC declined to renew her contract, announcing on the air that she was leaving, much to the surprise of her costars — and especially to Barbara Walters, the show’s creator with whom she publicly butted heats in the media following the much buzzed-about controversy.

The full episode of her appearance is not yet available, but you can check out the melodramatic revelation of her exit strategy in 2006:

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