by Jeroslyn JoVonn
September 21, 2024
Oprah Winfrey’s best friend has been a co-host on the national morning show since its inception in 2012.
Gayle King will remain a staple on “CBS Mornings” after inking a new deal with undisclosed details.
The longtime morning show co-host closed the deal ahead of her current deal ending in 2025, via The Hollywood Reporter. Oprah Winfrey’s best friend has been a consistent co-host on the national morning show since its inception in 2012.
King was the one who helped to create the show over a decade ago and has been the only regular alongside rotating co-hosts. Former co-stars include Charlie Rose, who was fired by CBS in 2017 amid harassment claims, and Erica Hill, who left the show after less than a year. Norah O’Donnell succeeded Hill and went on to host “CBS Evening News,” from which she recently announced her departure. Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson are King’s current co-hosts on “CBS Mornings.”
Since joining CBS, King has helped the network acquire top-performing interviews with stars like Jay-Z, Cherelle Griner, Megan Thee Stallion, and her infamous 2019 interview with R. Kelly. Things appear to be going well with King as a regular on the show with “CBS Mornings” experiencing a ratings surge with its highest numbers ever in the crucial adults 25-54 demographic for a season, dating back to 1991.
The morning program has been closely trailing NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America,” even surpassing ABC 17 times in the demo over the past season. Last month, CBS announced plans to expand “CBS Mornings” to a third hour.
Considering King’s pull as BFF’s of billionaire media mogul Winfrey, King has offered exclusive insight about Winfrey and often provides commentary on the OWN founder’s movements.
Last month, King spoke with “CBS Chicago” on Winfrey’s surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention. In June, King some thought might’ve offended Winfrey when she revealed her friend missed a scheduled appearance on the show due to stomach issues.
“She had some kind of stomach thing – stomach flu – stuff was coming out of both ends,” King told the viewers. “I won’t get too graphic. Needless to say, she ended up in the hospital, dehydration, had to get an IV. It was a very serious thing.”
She went on to express regret in the TMI response. “She will be okay. I hope she’s not mad at me for sharing that detail,” the long-time host said. “But I wanted to make it clear, though, that it mattered to her and that it really bothered her that she couldn’t be here for you today.”
The “CBS Mornings” extension comes after King’s CNN talk show with Charles Barkley was canceled earlier this year.
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