Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York & Los Angeles

The word is finally out. Star Jones has announced today that she will be leaving ABC’s “The View.”

After much speculation since the announcement of Rosie O’Donnell as the new co-host, Jones made made her departure speach today after the first commercial break. “The show has decided to move in a new direction” stated Jones. "I'm not sure what the future holds," she said. "But I'm absolutely sure who holds the future." Star recently told People Magazine, “I feel like I was fired.”

Rumors have been flying as of late that the agreement made between O’Donnell and Barbara Walters was that Jones get “the axe” if she were to join the panel. My inside source at ABC tells me Walters is overjoyed to see Jones leave and that this has been a long time coming. Walters would not give Jones the satisfaction of buying her out of her contract but rather waiting till the contract was up.

On that note, Walters expressed her “sadness that it has turned out this way.” "I can't imagine how `The View' would have succeeded without you," she said.

I personally am sad to see Star Jones go. Am I a fan of hers? Absolutely not but she did make the show interesting. I would’ve given any amount of money to watch Star and Rosie go at it every day. She's not even getting a farewell show after nine years! Now that's something I would definitely have in my next contract.