The View fans left divided by MAJOR changes to ABC daytime show as Whoopi Goldberg and cohosts return for a brand new season

The View returned to television screens on Tuesday morning with a brand-new season - but fans were left divided by some major changes to the popular daytime show.

Not only is the ABC program being filmed live in a different Manhattan studio, but Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin walked out to a fresh theme tune.

Whoopi, 68, kicked off the episode by telling viewers: 'We are back live and we are kicking off season 28 in a brand-new studio. People have been working hard all summer long with a brand-new open and the brand-new theme song called This Version performed by Leona Lewis and written by the all-time fabulous and brilliant Grammy-winning Diane Warren.'

Fans were quick to share their thoughts on the changes on X as one person posted: 'The new studio is so vast and so gorgeous!!! As is the new theme song!' and another wrote: 'I'm just starting #TheView and thank you thank you thank you for changing that theme song finally! I have been waiting.'

A third person commented: 'Finally! A good theme song on #TheView!' 

But others weren't so keen as one viewer claimed: 'The new theme song is KINDA generic. Though at times I kinda bobbed my head to it. BUT, then again, the previous theme was KINDA get'n old, but still kinda spicy! (sic).' 

Another person stated: '#TheView is back! I like the new studio.. but I miss the old theme song! I need something upbeat to start my mornings off,' referring to the track For My Girls, which was also written by Diane Warren.

Someone else moaned: 'A point of view. The new digs are too big and too distracting & swallow up the woman and distract terribly from their rhetoric. The former environment was comfortable and perfect. It was also inviting, that's now so sadly missing.'

Joy, 81, who was been an original panelist on the show since 1997, commented on the size of the studio and said: 'When I started here the show was in black and white, I'm just saying. And the studio is so big you need ways to get around it so give us a little time to adjust!'

Sara, 46, then joked: 'She's saying if she doesn't show up tomorrow, she's lost,' as Alyssa, 35, chimed in: 'You got lost on the way to the bathroom!' to which Joy confirmed: 'I needed the sound guy to take me to the bathroom.'

But despite the studio being larger, Whoopi pointed out that members of the live studio audience were actually 'closer' to the table as she commented: 'You know, we have to talk about the fact that we're in a brand-new space. I'm sorry, we have to, because it's very different.

'It's a big change for us too because when I came, the set was vastly different. We were on a big old thing and now we're on even space, we're all on the same plane which is kind of great,' she added, referring to when she first joined the show in 2007.

'I think we're closer to each other than we used to be,' Sunny, 55, added as Sara confirmed they were still sitting at the same table though.

The conversation then moved on to the new season 28 mug which features animated images of the panelists, including Ana Navarro, as well as various symbols of New York City.

'I like that you put a hotdog next to Sara,' Alyssa commented, as a concerned Sunny queried: 'Is that a garbage can next to me?'

'No, that's coffee!' Sara told her before adding: 'I love how they expect us to focus when they put all new things in front of us.' 

Whoopi then said: 'Coz we like stuff that is different, yes I have pizza and coffee,' referring to the images next to her face on the new mug.

'I have an IUD next to me!' Joy observed as Whoopi joked: 'Well, everybody remains hopeful that you will have a baby while we're here!'

For the past decade, more than 2,100 episodes of The View were taped at Broadcast Center in Manhattan, which is situated at 30 West 67th Street. 

The new, state-of-the-art studio is located in the Walt Disney Company’s newly completed Manhattan headquarters in Hudson Square.