The current co-hosts ofThe Vieware still working through the reality of show creatorBarbara Walters’death.
The panelists have shared their thoughts exclusively with PEOPLE about that path that Walters — who died Friday at age 93 — blazed for them and for television writ large.
“It will take some time to process this loss,” says currentViewmoderatorWhoopi Goldberg. “My heart is with her daughter Jackie and all those whose lives she has touched. Barbara was the OG and there will never be another like her.”
Joy Behar, who has been with the show since its earliest days, tells PEOPLE: “Most people know that Barbara was a groundbreaking journalist who wasn’t afraid to confront sexism in the industry and who would go down in her story as a fearless interviewer.”
Behar continues, “That’s all true, but there is another side to the intrepid reporter that is less known. Barbara had a great sense of humor andshe loved a good bawdy joke. At her very erudite dinner parties, she often had her guests each tell a favorite joke as well as predict such things as who the next vice presidential candidate would be. She loved to laugh and have fun and indulge in some harmless gossip. For me, she was more than a mentor and a boss; she was a girlfriend and I will miss her.”
Lou Rocco/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Ana Navarro, whojoinedThe Viewin a full-time role back in August, tells PEOPLE the late journalist was a titan of the industry.
For more on Barbara Walters, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.
“I never met the Queen of England, but I got to meet the Queen of Television, and it was all I could do not to curtsy,” she shares. “What made Barbara Walters a legend was not just that she was the first woman to co-anchor network evening news, but that she made it possible for so many other women to soar through the glass ceiling she shattered.”
“We all owe her a debt of gratitude. I’m honored to be part ofThe View, her living legacy,” adds Navarro, 51.
Chris Kleponis/Polaris/Bloomberg via Getty; Taylor Hill/Getty; Gary Gershoff/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty for Disney
FellowViewco-hostAlyssa FarahGriffin shares with PEOPLE thatWalters' legacywill live on through the next generation of journalists.
“It’s hard to capture in words how much Barbara Walters means to so many of us. She was a trailblazer, icon, and legend,” she says. “Women like me have a seat at the table today because she paved the way. Her legacy will live on through the doors she opened and the incredible careers that were made possible because of the glass ceilings she broke.”
Sunny Hostin, who became a co-host of the talk show in 2016, tells PEOPLE that the television legend was more than a mentor to her.
“I had the honor to work alongside Barbara. She was a remarkable journalist who noticed I wrote my own questions for guests,” she shares. “She generously offered her guidance as this was something I learned we had in common.”
“Not only did she help me refine my skills, she also taught me that when someone sits at the table it’s as if they are a guest in your home. You treat them with that respect,” Hostin, 54, continues. “Barbara quickly went from mentor to friend, and I will miss her deeply.”
Barbara Walters.Gary Gershoff/WireImage
The tributes have poured in from former panelists as well.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who co-hostedThe Viewfrom 2003 to 2013, details her memories of working alongside Walters.
“Heaven gained an icon, my broadcasting mentor, my television mom and a woman who had a compassionate curiosity that made the outcasts feel welcomed,” she tells PEOPLE. “We have had twenty years of conversations regarding faith and I have peace knowing she is in the company of our God — I always told her #thebeststoriesareinheaven and she is listening to them all!”
Rosie O’Donnellsimply called her former boss and colleague a"legend"on Instagram.
“What a long and eventful legendary life she had,” wrote O’Donnell, 60, on social media. “Spoke to every prominent world leader in memory, interviewed everyone who’s anyone, and I was lucky enough to be in her orbit for a good many years.”
Donna Svennevik/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Star Jones, one ofThe View’s first-ever co-hosts, tweeted: “I owe Barbara Walters more than I could ever repay.Rest well sister…mother…friend…colleague…mentor.”
Jones' fellow OGViewco-hostDebbie Matenopoulosshared on her Instagram Story that she was"so so so sad…. No words right now."
The Story included a picture of Walters and Matenopouloson set in 1997. “My first month on @theviewabc my best friend took this picture from the audience and literally just showed it to me about 4 hours ago!!!” she reminisced. “We were laughing so hard about how young and silly I was and then about an hour later I got the news. I am in shock. I love you Barbara always and forever. You taught me everything !!!”
Former panelistMeghan McCainwrote, in part, that Walters' “hard hitting questions and welcoming demeanor made her a household name and leader in American journalism.”
Abc News-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“She lived her life with no regrets,” Berger’s statement continued. “She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists, but for all women.”
source: people.com
