Jenny McCarthy to Join 'The View'

Jenny McCarthy will join the ladies of "The View," ABC announced Monday, taking one of the two hosting spots vacated by Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Joy Behar next season.

"Jenny brings us intelligence as well as warmth and humor," host Barbara Walters said in a statement. "She can be serious and outrageous. She has connected with our audience and offers a fresh point of view."

In the days after Hasselbeck's sudden and surprise move to "Fox & Friends," which came in addition to Behar's planned departure next month, McCarthy's name rose to the top of the list of possible replacements. She has appeared on the show 17 times, eight of them as a guest host.

[OPINION:  Keep Jenny McCarthy's Vaccine and Autism Pseudoscience Off 'The View']

Once a Playboy model, McCarthy made a name for herself hosting the hit MTV show "Singled Out" two decades ago. Most recently she had her own VH1 late night show "The Jenny McCarthy Show," which had a disappointing first season that left its fate in question. With the ABC announcement it appears McCarthy has been freed from her VH1 contract.

McCarthy's predecessor Hasselbeck, who first became famous appearing on the second season of "Survivor," was known for ruffling the other hosts' feathers with her conservative political views. But McCarthy herself is no stranger to controversy, as her views that vaccines cause autism have been met with much criticism. She will make her debut as full time "The View" host on Sept. 9, the premiere of its 17th Season