At the age of 93, Barbara Walters, a renowned television journalist, died today. On December 30, her former employer, ABC News, announced her passing. Currently unknown is the cause of death.
Barbara Walters was a long-time American journalist, television personality, and author. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 25, 1929, and was raised by a prominent and affluent family.
In 1961, Walters started her media career working as a writer and researcher for the Today program. She advanced fast through the ranks, taking over as co-host of the program in 1974. She co-hosted a national news program for the first time as a woman, and she worked on the Today program until 1976.
Walters began working at ABC News in 1976 as a correspondent before becoming the first female co-anchor of a network evening news program. She also hosted a number of specials, including the acclaimed yearly interview show “Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People,” and she worked as a co-host on the ABC news magazine 20/20.
In addition to her journalism work, Walters co-created the ABC daytime chat show The View in 1997 and served as its host and producer. The program was a success and won a plethora of honors, including several Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Talk Show Host.
Walters wrote several books in addition to her journalism career, including her biography, Audition: A Memoir, which was released in 2008.
Although Walters left the television industry in 2014, her achievements to journalism and her influence on popular culture are still praised and honored. At the age of 91, she passed away on March 16, 2021.
Health Issues:
In 2010, Barbara Walters underwent a technique known as a valve replacement, which involves exchanging a defective or damaged heart valve with a healthy one. The surgery is typically carried out when the patient has a heart valve that is damaged or sick, not operating properly, and causing symptoms like weariness, chest pain, or shortness of breath.
Following the procedure, Walters temporarily left her role as The View co-host to heal. A few weeks later, she went back to work, and up until her retirement in 2014, she worked as a journalist and television personality.
In 2013, she suffered a concussion after falling in the bathroom of her home and was forced to take another leave of absence from The View to recover.
In 2014, at the age of 84, she announced her retirement from television journalism, citing her age and health as factors in her decision.
ABC News Senior National Affairs Correspondent Deborah Roberts tweeted: “So sad to hear of the passing of Barbara Walters. What an honor to share the set with the inimitable trailblazer when I joined @abc2020.”
“Will never forget the phone call when she asked me to join the groundbreaking program,” she added.
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