by Jeroslyn JoVonn
May 15, 2024
Gayle King has no idea that she would make the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 60th anniversary Swimsuit edition.
Gayle King knew she would be featured in Sports Illustrated’s 60th anniversary Swimsuit edition, but she had no idea she would be selected to grace the cover!
The “CBS Mornings” co-anchor expressed her surprise on Tuesday, May 14, during a live taping of the morning news show after she learned she was among the cover stars for the magazine’s special edition. Kate Upton and Hunter McGrady also graced the cover and appeared as guests on Tuesday morning where they shared the big news with King.
“I’m on the cover?” King exclaimed as Upton handed her a copy of the magazine. “They told me I was just going to be on the inside.”
King held the magazine excitedly and needed time to take in the special moment. “This is real,” co-anchor Nate Burleson told King.
As she remained speechless by the big reveal, McGrady stepped in to remind King, 69, of the inclusivity behind the notion of being “sexy.”
“It goes to say — sexy isn’t an age. Sexy isn’t a size. Look how beautiful you look. That’s so inspiring to women of all ages,” McGrady said while pointing to the cover. “Yes, girl, you did that.”
King applauded the photographer who shot her swimsuit cover for guiding her through the process by helping her pose in ways that highlighted her beautiful features.
“I just never saw myself this way. I still don’t see myself this way,” King said. “But when I look at that…I go, I look damn good.”
It’s a noteworthy moment for King, who graces the coveted Swimsuit Edition ahead of her 70th birthday in December. However, she is not the oldest woman to cover the magazine. Martha Stewart made history last year as the oldest cover model on a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue at 81.
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