Gayle King is expected to step down from CBS Mornings after more than a decade with the network’s flagship morning news program, according to multiple reports.
Sources told Variety that King, 70, plans to finish out her current contract, which expires in May 2026, before leaving the show. However, it may not be a complete departure from CBS News. Insiders say discussions have taken place about King potentially moving into a new role within the network’s broader news division, which is undergoing an extensive internal restructuring following Paramount Global’s $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media earlier this year.
Variety reported that King could take on a production agreement allowing her to create and produce her own programming for the network, similar to the arrangement currently held by Norah O’Donnell, who stepped down as anchor of CBS Evening News in January 2025 and now serves as a senior correspondent and producer for CBS News.
A CBS News spokesperson told Page Six:
“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.”
Representatives for King did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
One network source told Page Six that “nothing has been set at all” and that King has made “no formal plans yet.” Another insider suggested potential tensions between King and Bari Weiss, the newly appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News, claiming the two hold “very different politics.” Weiss, who took over earlier this year, has already begun implementing significant editorial and personnel changes across the organization.
King, who joined CBS This Morning (now CBS Mornings) in 2012, has been one of the most recognizable figures in American morning television for more than a decade. Alongside co-anchors Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson, she helped the program compete closely with ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today in the ratings.
In May 2025, Page Six reported that King signed a one-year contract extension, ensuring her continued presence on the show through the summer of 2026. The renewal followed reports that she had accepted a pay reduction, from $13 million annually to approximately $10 million, as part of broader cost-cutting measures within CBS News.
Her potential exit comes as the network faces sweeping changes under the new leadership of Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski. The two executives are overseeing a newsroom overhaul expected to include program cancellations, reassignments, and format revamps.
According to The New York Post, “CBS Saturday Morning”, a weekend offshoot of the weekday show, has been marked as the first major program slated for restructuring. The 28-year-old broadcast is reportedly set to undergo a complete revamp, with co-anchors Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, along with executive producer Brian Applegate, informed that they will be departing the show as part of the transition.
The changes come amid a wider shake-up within CBS News programming. Earlier this year, the network announced that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will end in May 2026, coinciding with the expiration of Colbert’s contract. Additionally, “CBS Evening News” anchor John Dickerson is set to step down from his role, marking the end of another long-running staple of CBS’s schedule.
King’s prospective departure underscores the scale of transformation underway at CBS News as it adapts to new leadership and the corporate merger’s financial demands.
While her future role remains uncertain, industry observers note that King remains one of CBS’s most marketable on-air personalities. Her potential move to a production-focused role would allow her to maintain a presence at the network while stepping back from daily broadcasting duties.