Barbara Walters’ ‘View’ Panelists, Broadcasters and More Pay Their Respects: ‘The Legend. The Blueprint.’ Oprah Winfrey, Robin Roberts, Meghan McCain, and Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger were among the first to pay tribute to the legendary journalist and TV visionary, who died on Friday at age 93.
In the hours after iconic newswoman Barbara Walters died on Friday, tributes poured in from famous friends, colleagues and fans.
Walters’ rep Cindi Berger confirmed the news of Walters’ death at age 93, telling PEOPLE: “Barbara Walters passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones. She lived a big life.”
“She lived her life with no regrets,” Berger’s statement continued. “She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists, but for all women.”
Fellow TV titan Oprah Winfrey led a long list of notable admirers to pay their respects to Walters. The media mogul wrote on Instagram that she was “grateful” Walters had been “such a powerful and gracious role model.”
Former Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger was among the first to reflect on Walters’ “one-of-a-kind” legacy and sent his condolences to Walters’ daughter Jacqueline.
“Barbara was a true legend, a pioneer not just for women in journalism but for journalism itself,” Iger said in a statement to PEOPLE and via Twitter. “She was a one-of-a-kind reporter who landed many of the most important interviews of our time, from heads of state and leaders of regimes to the biggest celebrities and sports icons.
I have sad news to share today. Barbara Walters passed away this evening at her home in New York. pic.twitter.com/fxSyU6BQk4
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) December 31, 2022
I had the pleasure of calling Barbara a colleague for more than three decades, but more 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.”