Legendary news anchor and TV star Barbara Walters has died at the age of 93.
The trailblazing broadcast star reportedly died at her home in New York, surrounded by loved ones following years of health woes, reports TMZ.
Barbara was a broadcast legend and pioneer who became the first woman to co-host a morning and evening newscast when she joined ABC News in 1976.
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Her 60-plus-year career was catapulted by her coverage of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, and she interviewed the biggest names in Hollywood.
In 1997, she helped co-create The View alongside Bill Geddie, a successful and influential show that has won several awards.
(Image: NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Sharing the news on social media, ABC’s David Muir said in a tribute on Friday: “She broke barriers behind the scenes, and she broke news on-camera. She got people to say things they never would’ve said to another journalist.”
In a notable career that spanned five decades, Barbara won 12 Emmy awards, 11 of those during her time at ABC News.
She made her on-air debut in 1956 as a writer for CBS’s The Morning Show, and in 1961, she became NBC’s Today Girl.
(Image: Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
She made her final appearance as a co-host of The View in 2014 but remained an executive producer of the show and continued to do some interviews and specials for ABC News.
After taking a step back from her work commitments, her final on-air interview was with Donald Trump for ABC News in 2015.
Barbara was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1989 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.
She is survived by her daughter, Jacqueline Danforth.
(Image: Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Tributes have since been shared on social media in light of the sad news.
Oprah Winfrey penned: “Without Barbara Walters there wouldn’t have been me-nor any woman you see on evening, morning, and daily news. She was indeed a Trailblazer.”
Barbara’s publicist, Cindi Berger, penned: “She lived her life with no regrets. She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists but for all women.”
Actress Lynda Carter penned: “Barbara Walters was an American institution. As the first female national news anchor, she opened the door to endless possibilities for so many girls who wanted to work in TV, myself included. Her impact cannot be overstated. I’ll miss you, Barbara. Thank you for everything.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
