Gayle King issues defiant statement after renewing CBS contract: ‘Rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated’

King has renewed her contact at CBS News amid turmoil at the network CultureTV & RadioNewsGayle King issues defiant statement after renewing CBS contract: ‘Rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated’King has renewed her contact at CBS News amid turmoil at the networkCaitlin Hornik in New York Wednesday 04 March 2026 11:53 ESTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverGayle King addresses rumors of her exit from CBS NewsYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreGayle King has renewed her contract at CBS News after reports suggested she would depart the network amid its ongoing overhaul.“Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated,” King said in a statement, per Variety, after reports swirled that she would depart the network.“CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission. I’m excited about continuing at ‘CBS Mornings,’” she continued.“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.”King, 71, is considered to be CBS’s most recognizable face after hosting the network’s morning show for over a decade. Speculation that she would step down from her anchor role began to grow last fall amid the recent massive media overhaul brought on by Paramount’s corporate takeover following their $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. As the network was facing sweeping layoffs under CBS News’ new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, King addressed the rumors that she would be affected by the changes.“I saw those rumors. What I say is this: ‘I’m not going to negotiate in the press,’” King said during an October 2025 pre-taped episode of Sherri Shepherd’s talk show. “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 continued: “I’ve decided I’m going to stay out of the drama — and there is some drama.”More to followMore aboutGayle KingCBS NewsJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next