UPDATE: Walters’ doctors say they are “pleased with the outcome” of her surgery.

Although Elisabeth Hasselbeck is quite often the person who generates news for The View, this morning it was Barbara Walters’ turn.

On today’s broadcast, the 80-year-old journalist announced that she will be taking time off from the program to attend to a personal issue. “You know how I always say to you how healthy I am… I mean it drives you crazy… Never missed a day’s work,” Walters told her fellow cohosts. “Well, I’m going to make up for it. Later this week, I’m going to have surgery to replace one faulty heart valve,” she said.

Doctors, after discovering through an echocardiogram that Barbara’s valves were getting smaller, decided that this would be the best time to perform the operation. The upcoming summer break will allow the ABC personality - who has known about her condition for months now - to “take a nice vacation.” Her recovery time is expected to last at least a month.

While she admits “nobody wants to have this kind of surgery,” Walters told the ladies that she doesn’t think she’s really scared. “I’m glad it’s going to be over with,” Walters stated.