Gayle King dishes blunt take on rumored CBS exit: ‘I am…’
Gayle King made her feelings clear on her relationship with CBS after rumors of her reported exit from 'CBS Mornings' did the rounds. Social media was flooded with news reports that the anchor was exiting the network – all of which King quashed in a recent interview.
The news anchor denied all rumors of leaving the channel and told TMZ, "I am here and glad to be here". She added, "I don’t know what to tell you about it, but what I am hearing in the building is not what I’m reading in the press, and what I’m not going to do is negotiate in the media." King also expressed her disappointment about how people would base conclusions on rumors even before any official word.
Earlier, rumors of King leaving her job at CBS after well over ten years were first reported by Variety. The news emerged in the aftermath of Skydance and Paramount merging. The assumptions were made after a significant number of layoffs that occurred following the merger and shift in management.
'Gayle King, who has been the face of CBS News‘ morning show for more than a decade, is expected to depart as an anchor of that program next year, according to four people with knowledge of the situation," the outlet reported. "King may shift to a different role at the news division that is being thoroughly overhauled under the new Paramount Skydance regime."
"Moving King is a risky maneuver, especially because morning TV is built on the relationships viewers build with the hosts. If audiences feel King was pushed out for no good reason, they could be ripe for the picking by rivals like NBC’s “Today” or ABC’s “Good Morning America.” NBC News has discovered this challenge twice over the years," the report added.
Adding to King's words was CBS's statement on the alleged exit rumors. "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,' the statement said.
CBS Mornings airs on weekdays at 7:00 AM ET on CBS