‘CBS Mornings’: Gayle King Reportedly ‘Not Happy’ at Norah O’Donnell’s Rumored Return to Show
What To Know
- Gayle King is reportedly unhappy about the potential return of Norah O’Donnell as a co-anchor on CBS Mornings.
- The relationship between King and O’Donnell is described as strained, with sources calling them “cordial colleagues bordering on frenemies.”
- Network leadership is also considering revamping the show with a Morning Joe style format.
CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King is reportedly “not happy” about the possibility of Norah O’Donnell returning to co-anchor the show as CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss looks to revamp the broadcast.
According to the New York Post, a source said King was upset about new promos for the show that included O’Donnell, who has frequently filled in as co-anchor while Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski look to replace Tony Dokoupil, who was promoted to CBS Evening News back in January.
“Gayle was not happy,” the source told the outlet. “She does not want Norah to return to the show.”
King and O’Donnell co-anchored CBS Mornings from 2012 to 2019, but another source said the duo’s relationship is “strained,” describing them as “cordial colleagues bordering on frenemies.”
“Gayle is an authentic person. She loves the news,” the source said. “Norah loves the idea of being on the news.”
Earlier this week, the Status newsletter reported that O’Donnell is a frontrunner for the morning gig. The veteran journalist is said to have ingratiated herself with Weiss in recent months. Other names discussed for the position include Eva Pilgrim, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and CBS News anchor Kelly O’Grady.
However, a network source told The Post that King is a major part of “the process of finding a new co-host” and that “nothing will happen without her blessing.”
In addition to finding a new permanent co-host, sources claim that Jon Tower, the interim executive producer of CBS Mornings, and Cibrowski are looking to revamp the program, possibly modeling it after MS NOW’s Morning Joe.
“Tom is telling people that it’s going to be more of a live show with fewer people, and Jon is saying he wants it to be more loose like Morning Joe,” an insider told the outlet. Tower, who previously worked with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski at Morning Joe, apparently wants CBS Mornings to be more “chat-driven.”
CBS News has yet to comment on the reports.
CBS Mornings, Weekdays, 7/6c, CBS
Conversation33 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
-
G
Not surprised Gayle does want her back. You could see the tension when they were co-anchors. But Gayle King gets in my nerves. It always seems as though she has to have the last word, no matter what and she's rude, constantly interrupting her co- host.
-
K
I agree. Gayle was boosted up and got her career off Oprah's sleeve. A little rivalry is good for Gayle, she needs to reign back.
-
L
I agree. I think Gayle is arrogant and demeans others. I think she got the position she has and the invitations she gets because of her friendship with Oprah. She thinks that makes her powerful She should not have the ability to give "her blessing" as she is too biased. Remove her from the show and put Norah in. Norah is kinder and not as arrogant as Gayle or at least hides it better.
-
-
T
Get rid of Gayle. She's totally self absorbed on the air. I want news not her personal business.
-
J
I see Norah replacing Tony on the nightly news and Tony returning to CBS Mornings.
-
M
Would love to see Norah back and hopefully replace Gayle! Just don’t like the way Gayle controls the show! Norah is very professional and respectful! Something the show needs!
-
S
OMG, I feel the same way. Gayle gushes over "stars" especially when the color matches her own. The last hour of CBS Morning News is when I switch stations.
-
L
I agree with you. Gayle is very controlling and not as professional as Norah at all.
-
-
J
I think that bald-headed guy has a better suit than Gayle King she just makes everything about her and Nate is always old jail this and Gail that like he wants to get down on his hands and knees and worship her but that bald headed guy forget his name the one that's almost smiling and laughing he should take Gail's job he does a better job at it
-
K
What did you say????
Lol
-
J
Agreed. A little punctuation would definitely help.
-
-
-
P
The entire show is one big bore...
-
T
She's 71-how much longer does she expect to be on the show?
-
P
It's not her age. She lacks excitement
-
L
she stays for the power and the feeling that she is all important. Norah is not like that at all.
-
-
-
W
I don't love Gayle King, but I don't dislike her, either. However, Norah is all class and professionalism. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that she would return to the morning show for anything more than the occasional guest-host gig.
-
H
Let's be clear, Norah is a legitimate journalist and Gayle is a talk-show host. She is intimidated by Norah. CBS must decide if they are somewhat of a fluff morning chat show or a morning news show. Norah is news, Gayle is chat.
-
L
what an excellent point. You are correct. If it's a news show they need to move King off of it, if it is a fluff chat show kill the show as we don't need that kind of nonsense ,
-
-
P
I like Gayle, but I love Norah❤️!
-
G
Meow!!
🐱🙀🐈⬛
-
M
I really used to like Gayle. It seems that she has been really having a hard time letting anyone else talk without interjecting or interrupting. It's getting very annoying. What happened to her?
-
L
she has become really arrogant. She presents as someone who thinks she's really important and she demeans others. (which is why she interjects, cuts others off,) She is not a journalist. She thinks she is as powerful as Oprah just as Oprah thinks she is so all important. Neither are!!
-
-
T
I only watch because of Gayle and Nate. I did like Norah before, but she left, I guess she didn't like evening time slot.
-
J
I agree.
-
-
E
Too Bad, Gayle. Nora is both demure and sophisticated and will fit in quite nicely, IF I were to watch CBS censorship network again.
-
M
Gayle King is best without another female working with her. She has a stand alone personality. She needs to be the queen of the set. Adding another woman is asking for a rivalry and problems that are obvious to the viewer.
-
L
you are right to a point. She is a stand-alone personality. She does need to be the queen of the set. But where I disagree is that I think it doesn't matter if it's a female or male...either one will be seen as a rival and not only does King need to be the queen but she also doesn't need a king...
-
-
L
NO, NO, NO, NORAH………ugh..I agree with Gayle, she belongs somewhere else, just not on the Morning Show, Chris Cuomo would be good.
-
T
I don't watch GMA, nor did I watch CBS NEWS when Norah O'Donnell was doing the news. Having turned off CBS when O'Donnell was there, I haven't returned. I seldom watch any National News now because I feel all of the News Channels avoid the hard news like war, tariffs, the economy, the courts, the Congress etc. and focus only on the President and his lies and/or murders and/or crime which has no baring on anything I do. I am more interested in how the government is spending tax money, how farmers are doing, what types of things are being done to resolve real problems like homelessness, lack of housing, food shortages, roads that are deteriorating, fixing the electrical grid. No one wants to talk about these difficult things.
-
5
Love Gayle Nate Tony and Vlad. Should have left it alone.
-
T
I can't stand Norah. She reports the news the way she wants to spin it. For instance, I got so tired of hearing her say," Trump said so and so but that was a lie." Let us interpret what he said and do our own research. Her job is to report the news, not to tell us how to believe the news. We are smarter than she gives us credit. I'm not a fan of King, she is a subtle racist. I can tolerate that. I'm just sick of Norah saying "but that was a lie". If Norah is on the air, I won't be, turn off TV or tune in to a different news outlet.
-
H
You mean you don't like how she called out T-rumer's lies, got it.
-
L
I agree with your thoughts about Gayle. It's pretty clear that she is just by her comments about both whites and blacks. I wonder when she will realize we don't care what her opinion is and her opinion doesn't belong on a news show. What did she do to warrant a seat on the space ride? She got to tout her own horn with that gig. As far as Norah, it's ok for her to say it's a lie but she should back up those statements with the facts that will show us it's a lie and then you won't perceive it as a lie or her opinion it will be a fact she is just sharing / educating us with.
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services