Actress Sherri Shepherd finally joined the cast of ABC’s morning chat fest as a permanent host on Monday, taking over the seat which belonged to Star Jones Reynolds who left last year.

"Oh my gosh, I'm actually one the girls!" the comedian, who was a guest on the show 23 times, said enthusiastically as she took her seat on the panel alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Barbara Walters.

"The black girl on all the white shows," as Shepherd introduced herself for those unfamiliar with her, has Whoopi Goldberg by her side. Goldberg made her debut at the beginning of last week, when the show started its 11th season.

The "Who’s Your Caddy" star has been rumored to join the show ever since Rosie O’Donnell’s sudden departure in June this year, but so was Goldberg. Last week however, Walters hinted that all the speculation about Shepherd tagging along is true and she will be officially introduced this week.

"Well, this is the worst-kept secret," said Barbara Walters, the daytime talk show’s co-executive producer, as she introduced Shepherd to the cheering audience.

"I am so happy that Sherri Shepherd is joining our panel," said Walters in a statement. "She is irreverent, charming, funny and lovable. I look forward to a wonderful year on ‘The View’ with both Whoopi and Sherri."

Known for short appearances on television shows such as "Friends," "Suddenly Susan," "Less Than Perfect" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," as Raymond’s brother’s work partner, Shepherd began her career moonlighting as a stand-up comic while toiling by day as a secretary.

"I didn't throw up, so I think it went well," Shepherd was quoted by the Daily News as saying after her first hour on the gabfest. "I feel like, I think I'll be able to do this. It really was pretty awesome."

Taking about Britney Spears’ "comeback" performance at the MTV Video Music Awards and Vanessa Hudgens’ nude pictures scandal, Shepherd confessed she too has done a similar thing, sending sexy pictures of her to a former boyfriend who was in jail.

"Everybody's been doing it. I've still got nude pictures from when I was 17. I hope they come out," the full-figured Shepherd joked.

"You all may be getting too much on my first day," she said, adding, "It was very tastefully done. I had on red lingerie and was holding an apple."

"I am thrilled and honored to be working with a trailblazer, an Oscar winner, a fellow comedienne and a survivor," Shepherd stated in a release.