Elisabeth Hasselbeck Issues Statement After Audio Of Her Meltdown During A Fight With Barbara Walters Surfaces

The talk show The View has been embroiled in controversy since the behind the scenes tell all, Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of 'The View' by Ramin Setoodeh was released.

One of the book's claims is that the founder of the show, the iconic Barbara Walters, was often verbally abusive to the women who worked with her.

Soon after, audio was released by Variety in which Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the conservative host who was fired back in 2013, can be heard cursing and trying to quit.

The audio corroborated an anecdote in Setoodeh's book in which he stated that Hasselbeck had an argument with co-hosts Joy Behar and Barbara Walters after she felt she was reprimanded by Walters on the air for her views on the morning after pill.

The interchange can be heard in the video below.

'F--- that!' Elisabeth Hasselbeck backstage meltdown on 'The View' leaks onlinewww.youtube.com

Hasselbeck can be heard screaming to Behar...

"F— that! I'm not going to sit there and get reprimanded on the air. It's not ok to sit there and get reprimanded on the air."

Behar attempts to calm her, saying...

"Come into my office here."

Hasselbeck responds...

"What the f—! I don't even swear. She has me swearing. This woman is driving me nuts. I'm not going back. I can't do the show like this. She just reprimanded me, and she knew exactly what she was doing. Good-bye! I'm off. Write about that in the New York F—ING Post!"

Eventually, Hasselbeck can be heard going to her dressing room and the show's executive producer Bill Geddie can be heard convincing her to return to the stage.

Ladies Who Punch is available here if you would like to read Setoodeh's account of all the behind the scenes drama.

Last Wednesday, Hasselbeck posted this statement about the incident on her Instagram...

The full text reads...

"This. Just. In: Yes-There were times when I was quite humanly reactive. I used a bad word when frustrated. I was pregnant with Taylor and a big conversation about the value and the lives of the unborn took place at the View."

"It was a battle -but not of the flesh. I used fighting words because I believe that God decides the value of the lives of babies. We care for a group of Robin's eggs in a nest before they are hatched and likely would think twice before stomping on the awesome blue shells because we know what God placed inside the hard womb."

She goes on to explain how upset she felt in the moment.

"And in the heat of the moment, when I felt the need to protect what I knew to be truth and had seen with my own eyes on ultrasound the LIFE in my own shell of a body- I used big battle words (one in particular that I am not proud of and am sorry for using in the heat of trying to defend the lives of the unborn)."

"2 things I have grown to learn: 1) there are words that DISTRACT from your point: Choose wisely 2) I have a God who fights the battle."

Before explaining how she's changed since this incident.

"I don't have to do that all on my own. God has changed my ways. He has given me a new thing - it is my heart. He literally did that and I wrote a lot about it in #PointOfViewBook and I boast of plenty of failure and imperfection there."

"I still hold all my Constitutionally protected rights to freedom of faith : but now: I can hold the hand of the person who does not agree at the same time 💕💕💕💕 because I believe that we can do that by His grace. hold truth and hold grace as best we can. BY HIS POWER. In my weakness I am made strong."

She closes by saying...

"My new word that begins with the letter F: FAITHFUL"

"Because that is who GOD IS"

People stood up for Hasselbeck...

Many were all about Setoodeh's book, Ladies Who Punch.

So if you want the inside scoop, you can get Ladies Who Punch here.