Norah O’Donnell Returns to ‘CBS Mornings’ After 7 Years: See Gayle King React

CBS Mornings has officially begun a new chapter as Norah O’Donnell is back at the anchor desk alongside her former cohost Gayle King and Nate Burleson.

O’Donnell returned to the morning broadcast on Tuesday (September 8), seven years after she left the show to anchor CBS Evening News. She previously cohosted alongside King from 2012 to 2019 before moving to the evening broadcast, which she hosted until 2024.

“How you feeling today?” King asked O’Donnell at the top of Tuesday’s show.

“I’m feeling great!” O’Donnell replied. “Thank you for having me back. It’s great to be here.”

“Welcome back, we’re excited,” Burleson added.

“Thank you,” O’Donnell said. “I’m thrilled about what is an exciting show ahead and a big week ahead, too.”

Welcome back, @NorahODonnell! 🌞 pic.twitter.com/AxXfq0B64i

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 8, 2026

Burleson promised, “We’re going to make this next chapter our best chapter here on CBS Mornings, that’s for sure. And you’re going to be a big part of that.”

King noted, “Norah and I have history, so we are ready to go.”

“We do!” O’Donnell agreed.

CBS Mornings X

The show put some throwback photos of King and O’Donnell on the screen, surprising both hosts. “We look cuter now,” King quipped.

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“We do!” O’Donnell responded. “Like fine wine!”

“Aging like fine wine!” Burleson added.

CBS confirmed O’Donnell’s return to CBS Mornings on September 3; she replaces Tony Dokoupil, who was promoted to CBS Evening News back in January. Since leaving the evening broadcast in 2024, O’Donnell has worked as a senior correspondent across the network and was promoted to a full-time correspondent role at 60 Minutes in July.

“This is a homecoming for Norah,” CBS Mornings executive producer Jon Tower wrote in a staff memo last week. “As we all know, for seven years, Norah helped lead CBS This Morning alongside Gayle, creating one of the most memorable partnerships in the history of morning news. They have a friendship and chemistry that extends beyond the studio. They know each other, respect each other, and — maybe most importantly — genuinely enjoy each other.”

O’Donnell also described her return as a “homecoming,” writing, “When I last anchored the morning show I had three kids in Montessori school, and this past week I dropped three kids off at college. What a journey!”