Workaholic BARBARA WALTERS pals fear the news legend is "killing herself" with a backbreaking schedule just months after open-heart surgery.
The hard-driving boss of The View has been all over TV this holiday season – interviewing President Obama and the first lady at the White House in Washington, D.C., and staging numerous interviews for two prime-time specials.
And she’s still doing The View three days a week.
"Barbara’s bitten off more than she can chew," a concerned friend told The ENQUIRER. "She’s overextended herself and it’s taxing her health. All this work has got to be placing stress on her heart."
On May 10, Barbara, 80, broke the news that an echocardiogram showed one of her heart valves was "getting tighter and smaller," and days later, doctors performed open-heart surgery to replace it.
Now her family and pals are warning the TV news legend to slow down.
"Barbara can’t keep working at this pace," said the friend.
"She’s up early in the morning and she goes until she drops."
When contacted by The ENQUIRER, Barbara’s publicist said that her health is fine and that she was taking some time off during the holidays.
But her concerned friend added: "She is an amazingly strong and energetic lady, but some of us are worried she’s going to land back in the hospital – or worse – if she doesn’t start taking care of herself!"
