‘The View’: Barbara Walters Reportedly Hasn’t Spoken to Friends for 2 Years Amid Health Concerns

Legendary journalist Barbara Walters reportedly has not spoken to her friends in two years. Walters turned 90 on Sept. 25, and spent the big day with her adopted daughter, Jaqueline “Jackie” Danforth. The View, which Walters created, paid tribute to Walters late last month, but she did not appear on the show herself.

Insiders told Radar Online Walters spends most of her time alone in her New York City apartment. According to the site, Walters is suffering from dementia and heart problems.

“Friends have not spoken with Barbara in two years,” a source told Radar on Sept. 24. “They’re really heartbroken about it, and don’t understand why they can’t visit her.”

The source claims one of Walters’ close friends tried to send her a birthday gift, and only got an email response from.

“The email said, ‘Dictated from Barbara, she says thank you,’” the source said. “It was truly bizarre.”

Her friends also fear they will hear of her death in an obituary and not from Walters’ family personally.

Back in March, Radar Online reported that Walters’ dementia was in an advanced stage. A source said current View co-host Whoopi Goldberg visited Walters, but Walters could not recognize her friend.

“Barbara’s eyes were opened wide, and she was terrified,” the source said. “Barbara screamed: ‘Who is she? Get out, get out! Help me! Get out.’ She wouldn’t stop. No one could calm her down. Whoopi excused herself from the room. She was heartbroken by what she saw.”

At the time, a representative for Walters told Radar she was “doing fine,” but the insider contradicted that. In fact, the insider said her family fears she could “die any day.” They had been arranging visits for her friends to say their final goodbyes.

“The family is hoping the sight of familiar faces brings her some comfort in her final stretch. They have not said anything specific about the end, but many of the meetings have been solemn and teary,” the source said in March.

However, another source said her friends were being kept from Walters by a strange “butler” who oversees Walters’ affairs.

“It’s driving her pals crazy. But he’s a trusted member of Barbara’s team who has known her for years,” the second source said. “One of her beauty regulars who used to go over every day when she was on TV hasn’t been allowed to see her now in over a year. The butler will not allow anyone in. Barbara had beautiful hair, and now it’s thin and white and just pulled back into a ponytail.”

The second source said Walters is now confined to a wheelchair.

Walters retired from The View in 2014 and has not appeared on the show since 2016, when she celebrated the show’s 20th anniversary. She has not made any public appearances since.

“I don’t think she’s up to speaking to people now,” Rosie O’Donnell, who had two stints on The View, told Us Weekly of Walters this week. “I think she’s a wonderful woman, and it’s hard to age in America, never mind if you’re internationally famous.”

During The View‘s tribute to Walters late last month, Goldberg pointed out that the show would not exist without her.

“Happy birthday to the reason we are all sitting around this Hot Topics table today — it is the birthday of the one and only Barbara Walters,” Goldberg said. “Happy birthday, Barbara! Thanks for the gig!”

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