LONG LIVE THE KING — Gayle King to ‘Exit’ CBS Mornings Anchor Role After 14 Years Amid Major News Division Overhaul! After more than a decade as a beloved anchor, King’s departure signals big changes ahead for CBS’s morning lineup. What’s next for the network and King herself? Get all the details here!
Gayle King is leaving CBS Mornings next year, according to VarietyCredit: Getty
Gayle departure is reportedly a part of the network’s major revampCredit: Getty
Variety was first to report the news on Thursday, noting that Gayle, 70, might transition to a different role within the news division, according to multiple sources.
The department is being completely revamped under the new Paramount Skydance, which has affected many CBS News staff and hundreds of others within the company.
The outlet also revealed that there have been signs that CBS might broker a new deal with the veteran host to produce her own programming for the network.
Former CBS Evening News host Norah O’Donnell most recently held the role earlier this year before transitioning to senior correspondent for CBS News.
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The network has undergone numerous changes since corporate ownership was transferred from the Redstones to the Ellisons, who have shared their plans to distance their content from being perceived as too liberal.
A CBS News spokesperson responded to Variety’s reports about Gayle’s expected departure, saying, “There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026.
“She’s a truly valued part of CBS, and we look forward to engaging with her about the future.”
GAYLE’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Gayle has been a beloved anchor of CBS Mornings for 14 years, beginning in January 2012.
Prior to joining the program, Gayle served as a special correspondent for Good Morning America and is a longtime friend and former colleague of Oprah Winfrey‘s.
She launched her journalism career as a special correspondent on The Oprah Winfrey Show and later served as the editor of O, The Oprah Magazine.
Among her accolades, Gayle was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2018 and later named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
Gayle recently made headlines for being one of the six all-female crew on the Blue Origin flight to Space in April.
SPACE BACKLASH
The mother of two was met with considerable backlash for taking the trip alongside Aisha Bowe, research scientist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, Jeff Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sánchez, and Katy Perry.
However, she brushed off the negativity, saying, “I feel that anybody that’s criticizing doesn’t really understand what is happening here. I’ve heard it, we’ve all heard it.”
Gayle continued, “I hope that they will do a deep dive into what this represents. We can all speak to the response we’re getting from young women, young girls about what this represents.
“This is really a lot of work, what went into getting us up and getting us down.”
She again addressed the chatter while on the red carpet for the Time100 Gala.
“I’m not even focusing on backlash,” the journalist told The Hollywood Reporter.
“What I know is that we did something that was incredible. All of us feel proud and brave of what we did, and I know the difference it’s making for young women and girls, and even some boys. So, I’m not focusing on negativity.”
Gayle also revealed whether she’d make the voyage into Outer Space again, in which she said, “I’m not going back anytime soon, but I’m definitely open to it.”
The journalist had been an anchor on CBS Mornings for 14 yearsCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Gayle was one of the six all-female crew who went into Space in AprilCredit: The Mega Agency
The TV star was met with backlash for the Outer Space voyage, but said she would go back againCredit: Getty
