Updated: Friday, August 8, 2014, 6:41 pm ET
With new executive producer Bill Wolff coming in, ABC is ramping up the search for replacements for Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy to sit with Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie O'Donnell on the daytime panel.
Meanwhile, The View's co-creator and executive producer Bill Geddie officially confirmed his departure: "I am enormously proud of the show that Barbara Walters and I created more than 17 years ago," he said in a statement. "While I will no longer be involved in the day to day production, I will be providing transitional support to the show next season."
Sources say at least nine women, three of whom come from CNN, on Thursday shot chemistry tests on the set of The Chew. Goldberg participated in the tests and thus was not on Thursday's episode, which was Shepherd and McCarthy's last live show. Shepherd's celebratory final episode, which was pre-taped, airs on Monday.
Many of the women under consideration have political or sports backgrounds. ABC confirmed that the chemistry tests took place on Thursday.
The candidates are:
— Lauren Sanchez, who auditioned for The View in 1999 but lost out to Lisa Ling. She currently works as a correspondent and stand-by anchor on Good Day Live, which airs on Fox's KTTV Los Angeles, and appears on such shows as Larry King Live, The Joy Behar Show, and Showbiz Tonight. Sanchez previously has worked for KCOP Los Angeles and KTVK Phoenix. She’s been a reporter on Warner Bros.’ Extra, and an anchor and correspondent for Fox Sports. She’s married to WME co-CEO Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children, and she was previously involved with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez, with whom she has one child.
— October Gonzalez, Tony Gonzalez’ current wife, who doesn't appear to have previous television experience.
— Republican advisor Ana Navarro, who appears on such programs as NBC’s Meet the Press and CNN’s The Situation Room.
— CNN contributing legal analyst Sunny Hostin, who also occasionally appears on ABC’s digital news outlet, World News Now.
— Conservative political commentator S.E. Cupp, who previously has been on a guest on The View. She's now a regular on CNN’s Crossfire, but in the past has appeared on Fox News' Hannity. She’s also a contributor to politico.com’s The Arena and MSNBC’s Now with Alex Wagner, Morning Joe and Martin Bashir.
— Bloomberg Television’s managing editor and news anchor Stephanie Ruhle.
— ESPN and ABC’s Sage Steele, who hosts Friday and Sunday evening broadcasts of NBA Countdown.
— ESPN’s Jemele Hill, co-host of Numbers Never Lie.
— MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace, author, and communications chief for President George W. Bush.
-- Conservative commentator Kayleigh McEnany, who guest-hosted The View on Monday, tweeted and posted on her Facebook page on Thursday that she was part of the chemistry tests as well. She also frequently appears on CNN and Fox News. McEnany founded and is editor-in-chief of PolticalProspect.com.
(Pictured: Sunny Hostin (left), Whoopi Goldberg)
