Barbara Walters to Retire in Summer Of 2014; I Want to 'Sit on a Sunny Field'

Barbara Walters will retire as a television journalist, the news veteran announced on "The View" Monday, according to the show's website.

Walters, 83, will still serve in a producer role for "The View," after her projected retirement date of Summer 2014, The Los Angeles Times reports. Walters said on "The View" today, "In the summer of 2014 -- a year from now -- I plan on retiring from appearing on television."

"Barbara, you are a legend, and you will be dearly missed on the show," "The View" responded on their website.

Walters Tweeted Sunday night: "Big news - and I want to tell you first ... (Looking forward to one more great year!)"

Talk of Walters' possible retirement began in March, following her bout with chicken pox and a hospital stay, but she made no official announcement until Monday.

Walters began her journalism career as a researcher on the "Today" show, according to The Times. She then spent 15 years at NBC as co-host of their morning show. She then made her mark as the first woman to anchor an evening news program when she co-hosted "ABC Evening News" with Harry Reasoner. She spent 37 years with ABC, which including her role on "20/20."

Walters has interviewed prominent political, world and cultural figures during her iconic career. Interviews with President Barack Obama, Fidel Castro and Monica Lewinsky following the Bill Clinton scandal are among her most notable. Her "Most Fascinating People" special, running every December has draw attention to celebrities such as Tom Cruise and MTV's cast of "The Jersey Shore."

But even with such an evolving and eventful career and commitment to journalism, Walters is not reconsidering her decision at the moment.

"I do not want to appear on another program or climb another mountain," she said in a statement. "I want instead to sit on a sunny field and admire the very gifted women - and, OK, some men, too - who will be taking my place."