Barbara Walters recently spoke out in defense of her View co-host Jenny McCarthy, who was criticized for a comment she made about what may have caused her son's autism.

During an interview with Fox News, Walters said, "I think the criticism about her was unfair and it was criticism that had to do with very personal views. I think it was at the root of some of her criticism, it's not a subject that have discussed on The View."

Walters, who is scheduled to retire in the summer of 2014, was referring to McCarthy's stance on the disorder. which initially sparked controversy when it was reported in July that she was joining the morning show as a regular co-host. 

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Once on the show, McCarthy received backlash for saying vaccines for children have the potential to harm them and cause autism. She added that MMR shots (immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella) caused her 11-year-old son, Evan, to suffer from autism. The youngster was diagnosed at 5 years old and has since been said to show no signs of the condition.

One of many to speak about against McCarthy, the Center of Disease Control said her claims about immunizations make her "a menace to public health." 

An insider who works production for the show told Radar Online earlier in October, "ABC has begun doing deep research on Jenny's work on the show and the initial findings are that viewers want to tune out the second she opens her mouth!"

"The data has revealed that she is FAR more off-putting than Elisabeth [Hasselback, former View co-host]," the source added. "Right now they're just trying to adjust Jenny's performance on the show so that she comes off as more appealing, but that's an uphill battle."

A representative for ABC said the show has no plans to fire McCarthy and said, "There is absolutely no truth to this story."