News of Barbara Walters’ retirement is out, but the veteran newscaster is adamant that she’ll make the announcement on her own terms.
Page Six confirmed a Deadline report last week that the 83-year-old ABC personality would leave the network by May 2014, with a year of specials leading up to her retirement.
However, Walters opened today’s episode of “The View” saying that “nothing is going on” about an exit.
She continued, “There were many reports last week saying that I was retiring from ABC and there was an assumption that I would be making an announcement today. And the paparazzi were outside my home today… However, here I am, and I have no announcement to make.”
“But,” she added, “I do want to say this. If and when I might have an announcement to make, I will do it on this program, I promise, and the paparazzi guys – you will be the last to know.”
Walters’ first rumored retirement came in Dec. 2011 after TMZ posted a remark Walters made to President Obama saying that she was “retiring next year.”
Her recent bout with illness following her fall in DC sparked further speculation that she would step down.