Sherri Shepherd Stays Silent About Separation, Baby Drama on 'The View'

The TV cohost is splitting from her husband of three years – and just before expecting a baby via surrogate

Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Sherri Shepherd took her seat on The View‘s panel as usual Monday, gabbing about first openly gay NFL player Michael Sam, the latest diet fads and more.

But when it came to making a statement about her own life – her shocking separation and custody fight over her unborn child – she remained mum.

The show’s cohost didn’t address the news at all during the talk show’s broadcast, and much of the episode focused on creator Barbara Walters’s impending exit, including an interview with David Letterman about the longtime friends retiring together.

An insider tells PEOPLE that Shepherd, 47, didn’t want to take away from Walters’s moment – and may never speak of the split on air.

“She was really in business mode,” the show source says. “She clearly is not ready to talk about these issues, and everyone wanted to respect that.”

The TV personality made headlines Friday after it was discovered that her husband Lamar Sally had filed for legal separation May 2. The two have been married for nearly three years and are expecting a baby together via surrogate in July.

Court documents show Sally wants full custody of the unborn child, who the papers say will be named Lamar Sally Jr. He is also seeking spousal support and the invalidation of their prenuptial agreement.

When the story broke, a source close to Shepherd told PEOPLE that she “keeps her private life very private. She keeps it so together and professional. People thought she was fine.”

Behind The Scenes Of Sherri Shepherd’s Nasty Split