Gayle King is reportedly not happy about a potential anchor overhaul at CBS Mornings that could see Norah O'Donnell join the show amid falling ratings.
According to media reports, King, 71, could soon be joined by O'Donnell, 52, whose profile appears to be on the uptick at CBS News since Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief of the broadcaster. The New York Post reported that King is unhappy with the potential change and does not want O'Donnell to return to the morning program.
O'Donnell previously co-hosted the morning broadcast alongside King from 2012 to 2019, a period during which a source cited by the outlet described their relationship as "frenemies." O'Donnell has recently been substituting on the show and appearing in new promotional clips, which has reportedly upset King.
Proposed morning show overhaul
The proposed changes under Weiss are intended to reshape CBS Mornings into a format resembling MSNow's "Morning Joe," combining coverage of current events with opinion segments. CBS News President Tom Cibrowski has indicated he wants the morning broadcast to be "more loose," according to the Post.
Network executives are planning to add a third anchor to the morning desk alongside King and current co-host Nate Burleson ahead of a potential relaunch. While an exact timeline for the broadcast overhaul remains unconfirmed, changes could begin phasing in as early as September, with a new co-host potentially named next month.
CBS Mornings is the flagship weekday morning news program of the American television network CBS, broadcasting daily from New York City. The program competes in the national morning television slot against long-running network rivals, while MSNBC's Morning Joe has established a distinct format focused on political commentary and panel debate.
Anchor dynamics and network influence
A source cited by the Post described King as an "authentic person" who "loves the news," while characterizing O'Donnell as someone who "loves the idea of being on the news." O'Donnell had reportedly lost favorability under prior CBS leadership, but her standing has shifted under Weiss's direction.
Despite the internal friction, a separate network source told the Post that King remains central to "the process of finding a new co-host." The source emphasized that "nothing" would take place without King's explicit blessing as the network considers additions to the desk.
King has been a prominent fixture of CBS morning television for over a decade, co-hosting CBS Mornings alongside former NFL player and television personality Nate Burleson. Her long-standing presence has made her one of the network's most recognizable news anchors.
Ratings pressure and candidate pool
The potential anchor shakeup follows a sharp drop in viewership, with CBS Mornings recording its lowest-rated week in history during the week of July 13. The program averaged 1.59 million viewers, marking the first time it fell below the 1.6 million viewer threshold and representing a 13 percent decline compared to the same period a year earlier.
While O'Donnell is considered the frontrunner for the third anchor position, other journalists are also in contention, according to media outlet Status. The candidates include former television co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, CBS Saturday Morning co-host Kelly O'Grady, and former ABC anchor Eva Pilgrim.
Hasselbeck previously served as a long-time co-host on daytime talk show The View and morning program Fox & Friends. O'Grady covers business and technology news for CBS News, while Pilgrim previously reported and anchored for ABC News before recent network departures.
Recent anchor changes at CBS News
O'Donnell's potential return to morning television follows a series of career shifts within CBS News. She served as the anchor of CBS Evening News until last January, before being promoted to a full 60 Minutes correspondent in July following a tenure as a contributing correspondent. She also hosts the women's health podcast Healthful for the network.
The morning show desk previously underwent changes when former co-anchor Tony Dokoupil departed to become the anchor of CBS Evening News last year, officially assuming his new role this January.
CBS Evening News has served as the network's flagship daily evening news broadcast since 1948, while 60 Minutes is CBS's premier weekly newsmagazine broadcast, known for its long-form investigative journalism.
Representatives for CBS News and Gayle King did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Mail regarding the reported morning show overhaul.
