UPDATED EXCLUSIVE: After years of speculation, I hear Barbara Walters may be finally ready to hand up her microphone. I’ve learned a plan has been put in place for Walters to announce her retirement, eyed for May 2014. Fitting for Walters’ status as the grand dame of TV journalism and a signature face of ABC News, I hear she would be given a big sendoff with retrospectives and other special content in the weeks leading to her retirement that would celebrate her 52-year broadcast career. Walters had been determined to leave on her own terms, so it is unclear whether revealing the plans would make her change her mind and whether she would go for a full retirement or keep some TV presence with occasional appearances and specials.
Walters has been a trailblazer for female TV journalists, becoming the first woman to co-host a news program when she got behind the Today desk in 1974 and the first co-anchor of a network evening news broadcast when she joined ABC Evening News in 1976. She also anchored ABC News’ primetime newsmagazine 20/20 for 20 years.
Rumors about Walters’ retirement first picked up in December 2011, when TMZ reported of her remark to President Obama made into an open mic during a break in their interview that “I’m retiring next year.” ABC News dismissed the comment as a joke — Walters indeed did not retire last year. Her falling accident and subsequent hospitalization with chicken pox early this year also spurred rumors that she may be ready to reduce her workload. But she returned to work and resumed her duties on The View, which she executive produces and hosts, and at ABC News. A departure by Walters would add to what already is shaping to be a major overhaul of The View. Joy Behar, the only other original panelist besides Walters, recently announced she will leave in the summer. Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s future remains unclear and, despite ABC News’ statements about her long-term contract, speculation is that she will likely leave too.
It’s about time. Contribute as a producer, do your occasional special and pop in to The View when huge guests appear, Babs. Otherwise, enjoy your sunset, Barbara! Gee whiz!!!
Really, does anyone with a brain watch this show??
I don’t know anyone who watches.
The View is the worst show on television. Good riddance to Barbara and hopefully the show will follow!
No kiddin’, Bah Bah Wah Wah is retiring from “Saturday Night Live”!!!
I agree! All these old biddies need to give somebody younger and more relevant a chance! Who are these people who care what Whoppy Goldberg or Joy Behar thinks???
People starved for vapid celebrity apologia, the type of which only Whoopi can provide?
I wish her well…BUT…get a life folks! This is an entertainer, and like most entertainers her main purpose in life is to keep us glued to our couch, rather than do something meaningful or useful. It is NOT like she makes a real contribution to society! And…no…you actually do NOT have a personal relationship with her!
Oh please! Don’t give the host job to Whoopi. I will not watch it for sure !!! Too political- too liberal,
Amen
Barbara was a great journalist- she was a role model for young women seeking a future in news-but she became an entertainer. she lost all credibility. She lost me years ago.
I’m poised to not give a f*ck about the news.
The View is not news.. Trash gossip at best
This show is too political. Get rid of Whoopie!!!
I am so glad she is leaving! They should give Hasselback Barbara’s job at the helm.
Elizabeth would be great hosting that show! Might keep me as a viewer that way….
Elizabeth would NOT be great hosting The View. Whoopi is the moderator and she should host and moderate in a combo position.
In what world is Whoopi a moderator? She is blatantly biased and talks over people that do not agree with her opinions. Whoopi needs to go with Bah bah wah wah and be her private nurse…
Whopper Goldberg as moderator? As if there is anything ‘moderate’ about her, the show, the entire network. She’s a joke – she used to be somewhat cute and funny when acting, then she took herself serious and the network and Hollyweird foisted her on all of us as something she’s not equipped to be. I.E.: smart.
Fire the lot of them; close the network for a face lift and a brain implant. The entire mess of them sicken me.
Elizabeth is the only sane one there, with common sense and intelligence.
Cancel the whole STUPID show.
I AGREE. USED TO LOVE IT….NOW IT’S ALL PROMOTING THE ABC UPCOMING AGENDA.
Puleez Hasslebeck is not fit to host anything much less a TV show!
Elisabeth is probably the only one with a college degree.
They should just cancel the show.
I met Barbara Walters 56 years ago, when she was a publicist for the Tex and Jinx local television show. She was great then and I am sure she is now. I think I had a small crush on her during the short time I knew her. Enjoy you retirement.
Goodbye BA BA Wa WA
I always thought the best thing to do is to turn this show upside down and have 5 guys …
God bless Barbara, but when Iger hosed Regis, the writing was on the wall. An icon for sure, but well past her expiration date. Rest easy there girl!
Imus, Regis, Jay Leno and Matt Lauer should do The View, with Simon and Ryan Seacrust. Put them all together where we can conveniently avoid them.
Brilliant. Let’s also have Jeff Zucker as Exec Producer.
And I second your motion.
Block the View. Don’t keep feminizing men. It’s over, the jig is up. Men are not going to play the game anymore. Big changes are coming. Leno is the brightest bulb, and quick witted, knows how to say things openly and honestly that most of us are thinking. Lauer is definitely needing to find another job. Maybe he can work something up with Walters and we can get THAT show canceled.
Then it would be like watching ESPN!
She’s a living legend but at some point…you gotta pass the baton. She turns 84 in September.
The woman of whom Henry “The Nose” Kissinger said, “Dot vas da best piece of stuff I ever had!!”
THANK YOU Barbara Walters for retiring. It’s has been a LONG career.
Hasselbeck at the helm – NO GO. No way, no how! Whoopi does a great job with moderator and she was hired to be the moderator. I think an Asian or Hispanic flavor is needed to be more balanced, overall.
The ratings will drop significantly if Elizabeth Hasselbeck sticks around. I will miss Joy Behar and love Whoopi and Sherri. Both of them have stage presence since they are actors/comedians.
I will miss Barbara Walters and hope she continues with Specials and some News Division work in addition to continuing as Executive Producer of The View as a behind-the-camera showrunner.
I think they are looking for some balance. President Obama didn’t get 100% of vote just 52%. Elizabeth is the only thing remotely approaching a right leaning view point.
Linda: You see “The View” as a wonderful show AS LONG AS IT PLEASES YOU! However, there are millions of folks who DO NOT share your point of view, and they see Joy and Whoopi as vulgar and low class and common and embarrassing. Please, TRY to see others points of view, as we are FORCED to endure YOUR point of view (because the panelists are so far to the Left).
PS: If “the world” agreed with you, the ratings for “The View” would be much better than they are!
Whoopi is one reason I won’t watch this show.
Behar was another.
A show that adds nothing to man’s intelligence or understanding in this world. Unnecessary.
Elizabeth was the voice of reason.
I’m not sure why a Hispanic or Asian would bring balance to this show. If you really seek balance they would hire a male conservative.
What are you making tacos or sushi, what the heck do you mean they need a Hispanic or an Asian to bring balance to this show? It is not a cooking show, it is merely a show that sucks, and it won’t matter what you flavor it with.
This comment is an early April Fools Joke isn’t it?
Never was a Hasselbeck fan
Babs needs to retire now. Nothing against her, but its time. While I think Hasselback is a nutcase, her voice is needed on the show. Maybe not someone so extreme, but a Republican voice is needed. They need some cultural diversity too. A notable hispanic, please don’t cast someone “muy caliente”. And they need someone of Asian or Middle Eastern decent.
Why don’t they invite the UN to take turns as the panel members? That will insure equal representation for all.
Regardless of what your personal opinion of Barbara Walters is, I hope her retirement is of her own volition. It is important to keep engaged with the world especially in your senior years.
As long as you are mentally all there, and Barbara Walters definitely is, some kind of employment keeps you young and living longer.
Younger people don’t get this until they become the “seniors” they are now so eager to push to retire.
Good points, AptSeeker.
The show has lost half it’s viewers since it’s peak, See ya Baa Baa Waa Waa.
Prediction: If ratings don’t pick up for Katie Couric’s talk show, I see ABC’s production arm announcing a cancellation of it in NOV or DEC of 2013, and an announcement that Katie will be replacing Barbara on the View sometime shortly thereafter.
Oh gawd, no. Please.
I am sick of Couric. I will not watch her. After what she did to Sarah Palin. We do not need that kind of back stabbing put down sarcasticness. Lets just have the news. The View was started with good intentions, about regular intelligent women discussing the days news. It got ugly and nasty, like so many women can be. Joy and Whoopi are ignorant. If you want to be fair and balanced, they should have a couple more conservatives to see the real vierw points. Elizabeth had no one to be on her side, and they constantly ganged up on her. I quit watching the view years ago when Rosie was on. Whoopie was not an improvement. Never could stand Joy. ugh. Just end it, and get something else. It has run it’s course.
1) You and Palin may not have liked Couric’s questions (and you may not like Couric), but there was no back-stabbing.
2) Sarcasticness is not a word. Sarcasm is a word, though there was no sarcasm in Couric’s interview. It could be argued, however, that there was sarcasm in Saturday Night Live’s spoof of the interview.
3) I do agree that The View got away from discussing the day’s news. I don’t agree that Joy and Whoopi are ignorant, they likely just don’t share your views (and sometimes they don’t share mine. I will say, though, that Whoopi barely pays attention half the time and often “phones in” her appearances on the show.
4) I do think Elisabeth is ignorant, though not because she and I don’t see eye-to-eye on politics and religion… I just don’t think she’s well-informed. In fact, there are many conservatives I know of and know personally who I think are very intelligent and well-informed DESPITE having different views. Elisabeth is just in over her head in that regard. And I agree with you that Elisabeth (or any non-liberal on that show) could use another person who shares similar views, because the show is very unfairly lopsided.
5) ABC won’t get rid of it, it’s an insanely profitable show.
Here’s to a groundbreaking career and spending more quality time with Cha Cha!
I think Barbara should be shown a lot of respect, and not called an old woman or other derogatory terms mentioned here. I don’t think Elisabeth Hasselback has the capability to run the show, not sure she can even handle being on it. Maybe they will bring Katie Couric to replace Barbara. I would miss Whoppi if she left, but who knows? Maybe they will just cancel the show?
Now that I just disagree with.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck IS not ready to lead the show and be moderator. And I believe she would be LESS extreme if her voice was allowed to be heard instead of Joy and Whoopi constantly drowning her out or talking over her.
Democrats constantly bray about “equality” however, given some of the comments on this board, they are only interested in equality the way THEY see it. That’s not what The View is all about. It’s not The Democrat View or The Liberal View or even The Conservative View. It’s called The View…liberal, conservative, all views that make up the mission statement of the show.
But lately, along with the rest of the mainstream media, ABC is desperately in the tank for Obama, for reasons still not clear…so they allow ONE conservative with four other liberals…which is hardly any view other than a liberal one and we appear to be lucky to get that.
I believe the show would be much more successful if you had a true balance of liberal and conservative women on the panel and interviewed a balance of liberal and conservative guests. AND there should be some sort of written decorum (Rose O’Donnell) that would not allow a panelist to talk over a guest whose view does not match their own or be allowed to hoot DELUSIONAL!!!! when that guest is speaking, Rosie O’Donnell. Simlarly, Joy Behar’s leaving is a blessing. Her raspy, grating voice and obvious hatred of Pres. Geo. Bush is old schtick. She’s a comedienne by trade, she should be well versed on when to retire old material. But she hasn’t.
There could be great and entertaining changes at The View but liberals hate any view but theirs and ABC is too subservient to the Obama administration for anything to happen.
Taking too long to leave.
Taa!
As Powers “Curly Bill Brocious” Boothe so succinctly put it in Tombstone…
.
.
“Well..Bye.”
She should have stopped after 20/20 – her legacy now is having permanently lowered the level of the national discourse.
OMG! You here who think Elizabeth H is too right are so far left you think she, someone who is actually a MODERATE voice, and a weak one st that, have lost sight of what the center right is in this country and what it means. She is the ONLY panelist representing the MAJORITY. Of the USA( we are predominantly a center right country. Now the other four arrogant loudmouths are a disgrace to liberalism since all four only represent the intolerant bigoted far extreme radical left, which is still a minority in this country although the elitist agenda is pushing you to believe they are the “majority”. Getting EQUAL weighted right leaning folks means getting four additional panelists who lean right and even far right. Gjeesh! I worry about this veil of evil blinding so many innocents to the Truth. ,
I hate it when Drudge links to Deadline. It sure brings out the lunatics..
Translation: “I hate it when people who don’t agree with me share their opinions. It sure pops the isolation bubble of ignorance I live in…”
Barbara WHO??????????
Must be just another over paid, over rated journalist , a
non event
Without Barbara Walters, there is no “View”. Hasselbeck’s a horror, and though I used to love Whoopi, she has become insufferably smug since joining thia glorified hen party. The hilarious Joy Behar deserves her own show–though her bracing wit and keen intelligence aren’t a suitable fit for the frivolities of daytime TV. A nightly hour on CNN would be a perfect showcase for this smart, funny lady.
Lol… Wow, but you’re a nutcase. By the way, Behar had her own show. It tanked. She’s vulgar and low-class.
Yes an hour on CNN , perhaps about 2 to 3 am when the whole world is asleep and safe from hearing Bahar’s whining drivel..
She looks great for being 83 but I do hope she gives herself a break and cuts back her availability at this point. If she doesn’t want to disappear completely, as someone else mentioned here, she could plan to pop in on the View say once a month or “every time I feel like it” and just use the rest of her time to travel and do other things that don’t have deadlines. No question that she’s earned it but at the same time, people who have been highly regarded and on a highly visible treadmill in the middle of the action for so long might feel like a fish out of water spending any amount of time away from that action. It’ll be interesting to see what she ends up doing.
Never watched 1 show! Not worth watching, surprised its still on.
Yes lets give Maude”joy”Behar her own late nite show on CNN. That way we know NOBODY will be watching especialy if it’s on CNN..
The View is on par with The Jerry Springer Show.
I think her role should be filled by Anderson Cooper. I just love him. He represents true modern American virtues as well as being on intimate terms and comfortable with celebrity,