ABC and the folks at Good Morning America have honored Barbara Walters’ classic line, “This is 20/20,” with a celebrity tribute video.
ABC gathered celebrities from the network to honor Barbara Walters’ classic line, “This is 20/20.” GMA said good-bye to 2019 with a look back at the history of the 20/20 franchise. The iconic show spans several decades — with the line from Walters being the focus for many years.
All I want to hear at midnight is Barbara Walters saying "This… Is 2020" pic.twitter.com/m64T8InYrS
— Dave Malkoff (@malkoff) December 31, 2019
It was a time to reflect on the past year, as well as the past decade. The morning show set up the tribute in the 8 a.m. hour by asking, “Barbara, what time is it?” From that point on, footage from the show, as well as Walters delivering the signature line, played on screen.
Sofia Vergara, Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest, and Whoopi Goldberg are just a few of the celebrities that tried to deliver the infamous line as good as Walters. Goldberg even joked that she was ready to take over the signature line and show. Two Bachelor contestants also got in on the action.
The past few months, social media has been abuzz with users joking how Walters should be on hand with Seacrest to say her famous line the second the year switches to 2020. However, it doesn’t look like the vision will come to fruition since she has retired. There is a slim chance ABC and Seacrest are keeping her appearance under wraps — which would be great, but unlikely.
Walters also produced the show that she hosted. She started the gig in 1979 but left in 2004 to focus on her duties at The View. In 2014, the iconic journalist officially entered retirement and bid farewell to the ABC daytime talk show. Walters still serves as a producer for 20/20 and an executive producer of The View.
Tonight, people will gather to watch New Year’s Eve specials to ring in 2020 but ABC already got a jump on the festivities this morning with the tribute to Barbara Walters.