It is confirmed that Gayle King will step away from her daily co-anchor role on “CBS Mornings” when her contract ends in May 2026.
The new update arrives weeks after rumors swirled that King would be leaving her role. The mistaken reports originated from a piece in Variety, which claimed that King, 70, might transition into a different role at CBS — possibly producing her own programming — when her current agreement ends. CBS News quickly denied the claim, saying no discussions had happened about her contract.
In an update from NewsNation, King, whose been a mainstay on the show since its 2012, will transition to a new role focused on special projects and interviews.
”She will technically stay with the network,” a source said. “Gayle will do special projects and bigger interviews — like what Diane Sawyer and Hoda Kotb do (for ABC and NBC, respectively).”
She will work on feature projects rather than appearing on air every weekday. This lets CBS continue benefiting from her star power without locking her into daily hosting duties.
Gayle’s Star Power
According to a RadarOnline.com, CBS boss Bari Weiss wants Gayle King to tap more into a industry connections for the network. Insiders claimed Weiss thinks King is “wasting her connections” by not sharing gossip about her A-list friends.
“Bari is obsessed with pop culture,” a senior staffer told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter. “She thinks Gayle is wasting her connections.”
“Beyoncé, Kris Jenner, Jeff Bezos, Meghan Markle — Gayle is the only journalist invited into these rooms, and she brings none of it back to the audience.”
While King has developed a reputation for fiercely guarding the relationships she’s formed over decades in the entertainment business, she’s said to be “resistant but listening” to Weiss’ suggestions.
CBS Mornings is currently a distant third place among the major networks, having averaged just 1.8million viewers in the week ending October 20.
King has brought prestige to the network and valuable ties with Oprah via the pair’s decades-long friendship