News anchor Gayle King has finally addressed rumors that she could be fired from her longtime position on CBS Mornings. In late October, a report from Variety said that King was expected to be let go from the network after her existing contract ends in May as its parent company, Paramount, continues to lay off staffers across CBS. This week, various sources claimed that the anchor could be replaced by Today host Hoda Kotb, who retired from the show in January (though she was a guest anchor for its Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage). King, a longtime friend of Oprah Winfrey, has remained silent on these swirling rumors since the bombshell report, but she decided to say something about it on Wednesday, December 4.
King breaks her silence on whether she’s staying at CBS Mornings
During her attendance at the 2025 Footwear News Achievement Awards in New York City on Wednesday, King was asked by the Daily Mail about whether she will be staying at CBS.
“I’m still there,” King responded. “I’m planning to be there.”
When pressed further about the rumors about her future at the network, she made a humorous reply. “No, what do you know?”
A spokesperson for CBS News provided a statement in October about the situation: “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.”
The news desk at CBS is expected to see many shakeups amid Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media. About 100 positions at CBS News are reportedly being eliminated, with various members and anchors for CBS Saturday Morning already being let go. The streaming versions for CBS Evening News and CBS Mornings are being nixed as well.
Paramount chairman David Ellison wrote in a statement about the layoffs to staff that it is “phasing out roles that are no longer aligned with our evolving priorities and the new structure designed to strengthen our focus on growth.”
