Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele has made a shocking allegation that the late broadcast journalist Barbara Walters elbowed her backstage at The View. Steele made the claim during an episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, where she discussed her controversial departure from ESPN and the alleged physical altercation with Walters. Steele stated that there were other witnesses to the incident, which occurred after a segment about former U.S. President Barack Obama. Barbara Walters, who created, co-hosted, and produced The View for over 15 years, passed away in 2022.
According to Steele, the incident took place in the dark green room backstage at The View. She described how Walters began to back up towards her, looked at her, and then got close enough to elbow her. The physical contact caused Steele to be pushed into the wall and a nearby trash can. Steele was shocked by the incident and questioned why Walters would behave in such a manner. She humorously referred to Walters as a “140-year-old woman” and expressed her disbelief that one of the industry legends would try to physically assault her. Steele mentioned that some of the show’s producers and co-host Whoopi Goldberg saw the incident and supported her.
In response to Steele’s allegations, a representative for Walters’ estate called them “impossible to believe” and uncharacteristic of Walters. It remains to be seen how Goldberg and The View will respond to the accusations.
Steele also discussed her recent departure from ESPN during the interview. She mentioned that she had settled a lawsuit against the network, in which she claimed that ESPN had retaliated against her and violated her free speech rights. Steele faced backlash after making controversial statements about ESPN’s COVID vaccination requirement and questioning Obama’s race during an appearance on the “Uncut with Jay Cutler” podcast in 2021. Despite the controversy, Steele expressed her love for her time on SportsCenter and praised her former producers and co-host Matt Barrie as the best team. However, she claimed that there were different rules for her compared to others who shared their personal opinions on the network or other platforms.
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The settlement between Steele and ESPN was announced on Tuesday. In a statement on Twitter, Steele mentioned that she had decided to leave the network to exercise her First Amendment rights more freely. She expressed gratitude for her experiences over the past 16 years and expressed excitement for her next chapter.
It is important to note that these are allegations made by Steele, and the response from Walters’ estate and The View is yet to be determined. The incident, if proven true, raises questions about workplace behavior and the treatment of employees in the media industry. The outcome of the settlement between Steele and ESPN may also have implications for the network’s policies regarding free speech and employee rights in the future.
As of now, the allegations made by Steele against Walters have caused a stir in the media industry. The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges that women often face in male-dominated industries and the importance of creating a safe and respectful work environment for all employees. It remains to be seen how this controversy will unfold and what impact it will have on the legacy of both Sage Steele and Barbara Walters.
