Video: Star Jones Returns to ‘The View’ After 6-Year Absence

Barbara Walters hugs Star Jones during her first return to "The View" since 2006.

*Star Jones made her return to “The View” this morning and co-host/executive producer Barbara  Walters wasted no time bringing up her abrupt exit from the show six years ago.

“Are we really going to go here Barbara?” Jones said. “Do we care at this point?! I honestly don’t.”

Walters reminded the audience that although Jones’ contract had not been renewed for another season, she blindsided her costars on-air when she announced she was choosing to leave. “It was a bad emotional time,” Jones admitted. “I made the decision that I wanted to go out on my own terms so that if I walked back here I’d feel good about it.”

Jones, who is wearing red all month to promote heart health (she and Walters each had heart surgery in recent years), was unapologetic about her initial decision to stay mum on her 2003 gastric-bypass surgery. She wasn’t “emotionally ready” to discuss her “private way of deciding to lose weight.”

“Because we loved you, we did lie for you,” Walters reminded her, acknowledging that she and the hosts of the show credited Jones dramatic weight loss to “portion control” and “Pilates.”

“We were very worried about you,” Walters added. “[But now] you look great, you look healthy. We are really happy that you’re back.”

For her part, Jones was glad to be back, too. Following her appearance, she tweeted, “Fun @theviewtv. It is easy to walk through the PAST when your present is so good & your FUTURE is so promising.”

Watch below.