King’s contract with CBS is set to end in May.

Gayle King’s future at CBS Mornings revealed amid rumors she was leaving show

King's contract with CBS is set to end in May.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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March 4, 2026 1:25 p.m. ET

Gayle King on 'CBS Mornings'. Credit:

Mary Kouw/CBS via Getty

Gayle King won't be walking away from CBS after all.

Following months of speculation about the talk show host's future at* CBS Mornings*, King has confirmed that she has no plans to step down from her role as one of the network's most recognizable anchors.* * has learned that despite rumors stating otherwise, King has signed a new contract to remain with CBS News.

"Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated," King said in a statement shared with EW. "CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission."

She added, "I'm excited about continuing at* CBS Mornings*. As always, I'm open to new adventures here and ready to go. It took a minute, but we got there. And now that we are here, I am all in."

Gayle King on 'CBS Mornings'.

Michele Crowe/CBS News via Getty

Concern about King's future with the network emerged on the heels of Paramount's $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Sweeping layoffs followed under the leadership of new CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski, which saw several executives, anchors, and producers depart the network. Now, in their own statements, the duo celebrated the news of King's contract renewal.

"There is only one Gayle King. We’re so proud that she’ll continue to call CBS home," said Weiss. "We’re thrilled to have her on in the morning—and equally excited to work with her on new, enterprising projects that bring her talents to new audiences."

Added Cibrowski, "Gayle and Nate Burleson are fantastic partners on the show and morning TV is more vibrant than ever.  We are excited to continue to evolve *CBS Mornings* and can’t wait for what’s to come."

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King's decision to stay comes weeks after CBS News lost Anderson Cooper, an anchor who'd become a face of the brand after two decades as a contributor to *60 Minutes*.

As for King, she previously hinted that there were negotiations happening behind the scenes during a December appearance on Sherri Shepherd's daytime talk show, where she told the host, "I saw those rumors. What I say is this: I'm not going to negotiate in the press. I hear one thing in the building and one thing outside of the building. I'll be reading one thing, and I'm like, 'That’s not true.'"

She added, "I've decided I'm going to stay out of the drama — and there is some drama."

Gayle King and Bari Weiss.

Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty; Noam Galai/Getty

The following month, King had a more optimistic outlook about the future of CBS — and her involvement — while attending a town hall meeting held by Weiss in late January.

"People come and pet me like a puppy and say, 'I'm so sorry that you're leaving CBS. I won't watch you guys again. And it's not the same place,'" King said at the time. "And when I come here, what I see every day are people who really love what they do."

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She additionally praised Weiss for taking questions from staff, noting, "For many people, they've never even heard your freaking voice. So it's good for them to see you're a real person and this is what you want and how you feel about us and how you feel about this job."

Changes at CBS and Paramount Skydance overall will likely continue as the company works to secure a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, which will put CBS News and CNN under the same corporate umbrella.

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