There’s a rumor started by National Enquirer that goes like this:

Barbara Walters is livid that her ABC bosses are eying her replacement and it’s California’s former first lady Maria Shriver!

The veteran ABC newswoman is 83 and recently was hospitalized for a concussion then chickenpox.

But, anyone who has met Barbara knows she’s a feisty broad who shows no signs of retiring and why should she?

She announced she’s coming back to The View on Monday. And, it’s very unlikely ABC would do something like that to Barbara — after all, she’s the co-creator and co-executive producer of the show!

We checked with a rep for The View just to make sure. And, RumorFix was told, “There’s absolutely no truth to this!”