Whoopi Goldberg reveals she came 'very, very close' to dying while battling pneumonia

(Image credit: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images)

published 8 March 2019

After being away from The View for more than a month, Whoopi Goldberg on Friday provided a health update and revealed that she nearly died while battling pneumonia.

Goldberg said in a pre-taped video message that she's doing "okay" and is "up and moving around," although "not as fast as I'd like to be," per ABC News. She explained that she had septic pneumonia in both lungs. "Yes, I came very, very close to leaving the Earth," she said.

The comedian thanked fans for their well wishes, joking that "we all know that's going to change when I get back." Goldberg's last appearance on The View was Feb. 5, and while she didn't specify on Friday when she'll return, she said she would see everybody "soon" and will tell her co-hosts about the "interesting" month she's had when she gets back. Watch Goldberg's video message below. Brendan Morrow

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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