Entertainment TV How Barbara Walters' History-Making Interview with Monica Lewinsky Became a 25-Year Friendship In the wake of the newscasting legend's death at 93, Lewinsky recalls their early meeting amid scandal and ongoing relationship since By Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Forbes and she has also worked in broadcast television as a reporter for Hawaii-based news station KHON2 News. People Editorial Guidelines Published on December 31, 2022 02:55PM EST Photo: Virginia Sherwood/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty An hours-long interview in 1998 between Barbara Walters and Monica Lewinsky turned into a longtime friendship between the two women. Lewinsky – who first encountered Walters in 1998 during a 20/20 interview regarding her affair with President Bill Clinton while she was a White House intern – dropped multiple bombshells to Walters about the affair and issued a public apology to Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. Some of the memorable moments from that interview included Walters asking Lewinsky if she still was in love with Clinton; Lewinsky answered "No. Sometimes I have warm feelings. Sometimes I'm proud of him still, and sometimes I hate his guts. And, he makes me sick." At another time, Walters asked Lewsinky, "What will you tell your children, when you have them?," to which Lewinsky replied, "Mommy made a big mistake." Referencing the months-long media firestorm around Lewinsky and Clinton's affair, Walters joked in response: "And that is the understatement of the year." Barbara Walters' 'View' Panelists, Broadcasters and More Pay Their Respects: 'The Legend. The Blueprint.' Lewinsky recalled on Twitter in a lengthy tribute to the late journalist how Walters made her feel comfortable during their first interview. "I remarked that this was the first time I'd ever been in serious trouble," Lewinsky tweeted. "I'd basically been a good kid – got good grades, didn't do drugs, never shoplifted etc. Without missing a beat, Barbara said: Monica, next time shoplift." That interview went on to break TV ratings records, garnering 74 million viewers across the U.S and becoming the highest-rated TV interview special in the last 25 years, according to Variety. Over the next few decades both Walters and Lewinsky spoke fondly of each other. In 1999, Walters told TV Guide that if she could have, she would have told Lewinsky to "end it" with Clinton before things got out of hand. "I would have tried to tell her that this was a relationship that had no future," Walters said. "But have you ever tried to stop a daughter when she is in love from doing anything? It's very hard." RELATED Video: Barbara Walters, Legendary Broadcaster and Creator of 'The View', Dead at 93 Lewinsky also told PEOPLE in 2015 that if she ever got married, Walters would be on the guest list, saying, "I've promised Barbara Walters a dance at my wedding so I hope to make good on that promise some day!" Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The writer said the two "stayed in touch" over the past 25 years, and noted that the last time they saw each other was during a lunch a few years ago. "Of course, she was charming, witty and some of her questions were still her signature interview style: 'So tell me, Monica, how do you feel …etc etc.' She was the very first person with whom I ever sat for a television interview… and will certainly be my most memorable," Lewinsky tweeted. She added: "Barbara will be missed by many — including me."