by Jameelah Mullen
October 31, 2025
King has appeared on the network’s morning show for nearly 14 years.
Rumors began circulating about Gayle King’s future with CBS after Variety reported that the anchor may leave the morning news show when her contract expires in May 2026. However, a CBS spokesperson refuted portions of the report.
“There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026,” a CBS News spokesperson said in a statement to People.
The spokesperson added, “She’s a truly valued part of CBS, and we look forward to engaging with her about the future.”
Sources at Variety indicated that King might assume a new role at the network, which is currently undergoing internal restructuring amid Paramount’s $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The company’s corporate ownership will shift from the Redstones, the former controlling shareholders, to the Ellisons, who, according to Variety, plan to steer CBS News away from content they believe leans too far to the left. In Oct 2025, CBS named Bari Weiss, founder of the conservative opinion site The Free Press, as editor-in-chief of CBS News.
During her over 40-year career as a journalist, King has interviewed prominent figures such as President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Cardi B. One of her most unforgettable interviews was in 2019 with R. Kelly, during his legal battle over federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges. During a tense exchange, Kelly became visibly upset, stood up, and started yelling. King was praised for staying calm as she called him by his first name, “Robert,” repeatedly.
King said that she was surprised by the unexpected change in Kelly’s demeanor, which she described as “0 to 200.”
“When he jumped out of the chair, and he’s hitting, and he’s screaming, and spit is flying because he’s angry, I just thought, ‘You can’t respond in kind to that.’ If you respond in kind to that, then we’re both off the rails.” King told People in 2019.
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