Trailblazing US news anchor Barbara Walters dies aged 93

31 December 2022, 11:14

Barbara Walters, who led the way as the first woman to become a TV news superstar during a career remarkable for its duration and variety, has died aged 93.

Ms Walters made headlines in 1976 as the first female network news anchor, with an unprecedented 1 million dollar (£830,000) annual salary that drew gasps.

Her drive was legendary as she competed - not just with rival networks, but with colleagues at her own network - for each big "get" in a world jammed with more and more interviewers, including female journalists who followed the trail she blazed.

Her death was announced by her network ABC on air Friday night.

"Barbara Walters passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones. She lived her life with no regrets. She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists, but for all women," her publicist Cindi Berger also said in a statement.

An ABC spokesperson did not have an immediate comment on Friday evening beyond sharing a statement from Bob Iger, the chief executive of The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC.

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Late in her career, in 1997, Ms Walters gave infotainment a new twist with The View, a live ABC weekday show with an all-female panel.

The show covers any topic and welcomed guests range from world leaders to teen idols.

A side venture and unexpected hit, Ms Walters considered The View the "dessert" of her career.

In May 2014, she taped her final episode of The View amid much ceremony and a gathering of scores of luminaries to end a five-decade career in television - although she continued to make occasional TV appearances after that.

Ms Walters was married three times and divorced - she is survived by her daughter, Jacqueline Danforth.

Tributes have since flooded in, with Oprah Winfrey saying: "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.

"I did my very first television audition with her in mind the whole time.

"Grateful that she was such a powerful and gracious role model. Grateful to have known her. Grateful to have followed in her Light."

Disney CEO Bob Iger said: "I had the pleasure of calling Barbara a colleague for more than three decades, but most importantly, I was able to call her a dear friend.

"She will be missed by all of us at The Walt Disney Company, and we send our deepest condolences to her daughter, Jacqueline."

Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter tweeted: "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."