When did Gayle King and Oprah meet? 49-year friendship explored amid Morning Show host’s reported CBS departure 

American broadcast journalist and television personality Gayle King is reportedly quitting CBS Mornings. The 70-year-old King, who joined CBS News in 2012, was a crucial part of CBS's morning show relaunch, which was previously named CBS This Morning. According to Variety, Gayle King, who has co-hosted the morning show for over ten years, will reportedly depart from the morning show.

While the broadcast journalist turned author, Gayle King, will be producing other content for CBS, as reported by Variety, her contract will end in May 2026. King is not the first one to leave CBS this year, as several other senior staff members have done the same, following the network's recent change in ownership from the Redstones to the Ellisons.

At the beginning of October 2025, Bari Weiss, widely known for launching The Free Press, a conservative opinion website, was made the editor-in-chief of CBS News. However, when Variety requested to shed some light on King's future at the network and on CBS Mornings, a spokesperson from CBS News stated:

"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."

However, Gayle King, who is the reason behind creating a relationship between CBS Network and renowned television host Oprah Winfrey, has had a long friendship with the veteran talk show host. Amid King's reported departure from CBS News, the netizens are interested to know when she and Oprah Winfrey first met. While the two renowned personalities have been friends for 49 years, according to Fortune, they first met in 1976 at a Baltimore news station.

During a conversation with Melinda French Gates, King and Winfrey revealed that they never make serious life decisions without first talking to one another. While Gayle King mentioned that their relationship is critical due to their celebrity status, she said:

"I wouldn't dream of [making big decision] without getting Oprah's take."

Besides Gayle King's reported expected departure, John Dickerson steps down as co-anchor of CBS Evening News

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It is not only King who is reported to quit the CBS morning show, but also John Dickerson, the co-host of CBS Evening News, announced his exit from the network on October 27, 2025. As per Fox News, both the CBS Morning Show and the Evening News program have been struggling to compete in the ratings matter. Networks such as ABC and NBC have been giving tough competition to CBS.

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