A legend! Bob Barker’s girlfriend, Nancy Burnet, exclusively sat down with Closer Weekly to give an update about the Price Is Right host, including his best memories and what he hopes his legacy will be, as he approaches his 99th birthday.
“He’s doing pretty well … he’s happy, he’s engaged. He’s just doing remarkably well for almost 99 years of age,” Nancy, 79, gushes about her longtime partner, noting that he’s “a little bit forgetful” but that “comes with the territory.” The Drury University graduate turns 99 on December 12.
The Truth or Consequences star is a vegetarian and consumes one vegan meal replacement per day, which Nancy credits for keeping him “very healthy” all these years.
“A lot of people at that age are very gaunt, frail. He isn’t at all, he’s very sturdy,” she notes. “His weight is good, he’s strong and he has this meal replacement in addition to his regular meals because [it’s] just the way he gets everything.”
As far as how the Happy Gilmore actor stays busy, Nancy says he’s an “avid reader” and major history buff. “He has a library just filled with walls and walls of books,” she explains. “He’s really interested in history — in particular, American history — but always interested in history and military things. He likes all of that. He watches television … a lot of what he watches as something to do about animals.”
The longtime couple first met in March 1983 at an animal adoption event and connected over their love of animals and their shared activism for the cause. They have since started DonkeyLand, a nearly 2,000-acre rescue, sanctuary and wildlife preserve dedicated to saving wild burros and their habitats.
While DonkeyLand is a “major living legacy” for Bob, Nancy adds, “I think his legacy is just the lives — the millions of the animals that have not been born — because of his show. Helping to raise awareness about spaying and neutering, which is probably the most important thing … He made the awareness and made people think about it.”
Bob’s health has been up and down over the years. He’s suffered a partially blocked left carotid artery, a stroke, prostate surgery and skin cancer. He’s also endured stitches and head and knee injuries after falls at home. As he’s gotten older, Nancy admits that the Washington native doesn’t miss working.
“He had a long career, and it just became very exhausting to do the show. You know, that just comes as a part of growing older, you just don’t have the stamina,” she explains. “He worked until he was in his 80s, and you have to be on every minute.”
Being the legend that he is, Nancy revealed Price Is Right “never had to edit” any of the episodes thanks to the host being a total pro. “He just had a clock in his brain,” Nancy recalls. “He would just do that automatically [to] the point of bringing [it] right [to] the second. They didn’t have to edit anything.”
The “happiest day” of Bob’s life happened during his career when he received a call from Ralph Edwards that led to Truth or Consequences, which Bob hosted from 1956 to 1975.
“That was the beginning, that just opened all the doors from there on. Of course, you know Bob had the talent,” Nancy gushes. “Someone could open the doors for you, but you had to keep them open. And that’s what he did … Even his peers agree that he’s the most talented master of ceremonies, just the absolute best with an audience of MC’s ever.”
That being said, Nancy admits Bob doesn’t watch Price Is Right anymore, explaining, “It’s different. It’s nothing like it was. So, it would be entirely different. He’d rather watch a movie or something now.”
Reporting by Lindsay Hoffman
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