Sherri Shepherd Will Join The View Crew

Ending weeks of speculation, Sherri Shepherd will become a permanent member of ABC's The View on Sept. 10, PEOPLE has confirmed.

"It's her!" a source tells PEOPLE, adding that Shepherd will appear on Monday's show for the highly anticipated announcement from co-host Barbara Walters.

Showbiz insiders have long suspected that Shepherd would link with new co-host Whoopi Goldberg alongside Walters, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck for the 11th season of the weekday show.

Goldberg's debut on the all-female forum drew some 3.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research, making it the show's second-most-watched season premiere – behind Rosie O'Donnell's 2006 debut, seen by 4.4 million.

Shepherd's arrival gives The View its first full cast since before O'Donnell came and went. The topical talk-fest also shed Star Jones Reynolds and Meredith Vieira during the past two seasons.

An ABC spokesperson would say only that "an official announcement will come Monday on The View as promised Wednesday by Barbara Walters."

Shepherd, whose credits include ABC's Less Than Perfect and Fox's The Wedding Bells, has made multiple appearances as a guest on The View and last fall ventured into the talk arena working on a syndicated project with Disney.

She appears in the upcoming film Who's Your Caddy. Her resume also includes roles on Pauly Shore Is Dead and The Jamie Foxx Show.

Re: Sherri Shepherd Will Join The View Crew

So is the show now a comedy show?