Letterman to appear on 'The View'

NEW YORK, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. TV talk-show host David Letterman will be on hand for the season premiere of "The View" to welcome back Barbara Walters from her medical leave, ABC said.

Walters has been recovering from heart surgery since May.

Letterman's Sept. 7 appearance will be his first on the daytime chat series, as well as the show's 14th season premiere.

"Welcome Back Barbara" week will include a "surprise" musical number, personalized video messages from a variety of top entertainers/celebrities, and medical segments, one featuring cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, who'll dissect the details of Walters' heart surgery and recovery, ABC said.

"Fourteen seasons is quite an accomplishment, considering I wasn't sure at the beginning if we'd last 14 weeks," Bill Geddie, executive producer, said in a statement Wednesday. "This is shaping up to be another exciting year for 'The View.' Right out of the gate we've planned a spectacular homecoming of sorts for Barbara's much-anticipated return, followed by our 3,000th show. As fall approaches we set our sights towards another political season with an emphasis on women in politics."

Walters serves as co-host of the show with Whoopi Goldberg, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd.