Gayle King Signs New 'CBS Mornings' Contract Following Speculation About Her Dismissal

Gayle King will remain with CBS and "CBS Mornings" following reports that her contract would not be renewed.

Reports began to surface in late 2025 that journalist and "CBS Mornings" host Gayle King might soon be out of a job. She quickly shot down the reports, but many continued to speculate about her future with the network as her contract was set to expire in Spring 2026. Now, after several months, CBS has confirmed that King will remain with the network, which she joined in 2011. She has since remarked on the update. 

Gayle King Acknowledged The Rumors Of Her Future At 'CBS Mornings' In Her Statement

Deadline confirmed on March 4 that King had signed a new deal with the now Paramount-owned CBS. Currently, the terms of the new agreement are unknown, but it has been hinted at that her deal will include other projects besides "CBS Mornings." The host said in a statement, "Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated. CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission. I’m excited about continuing at CBS Mornings."

King 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."

It's also worth noting that King's "CBS Morning" co-host, Nate Burleson, will also continue with the program after joining in 2021. Notably, the show still has an open seat as Tony Dokoupil previously departed to host CBS Evening News.

CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss Also Issued a Statement

Bari Weiss joined CBS News in October 2025 as the editor-in-chief. Her tenure followed Paramount's acquisition of the network. She said of King remaining with the network and "CBS Mornings," "There is only one Gayle King. We’re so proud that she’ll continue to call CBS home. 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."

Tom Cibrowski, who is the president and executive editor of CBS News, stated, "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 Morningsand can’t wait for what’s to come."

Social Media Users Are Reacting To The News

Following the news that King would remain at "CBS Mornings," many social media users shared their takes. Some were happy she'd remain on the show while others questioned why she would remain with the network following some of its controversial changes, including the addition of Weiss.

One person wrote on X, "Queen Gayle isn’t going anywhere! Morning TV still needs her voice." Someone else questioned, "How anyone can work for that idiot that has destroyed CBS is beyond me. It's not like Ms. King needs the money." A different social media user stated, "She’s gross if she stays at the new CBS."

Another X user said, "Clearly she caved to @bariweiss .. she'll be reporting from Tehran if they have their way." Finally, another person wrote, "No surprise that Gayle would sell her soul. Now let’s see how she 'changes her views' all on her own about Trump."

Weiss Reportedly Wanted To Lower King's Salary

 

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There have been many unpopular changes made to CBS News under the leadership of the recently appointed Weiss. Variety published a report on the goings-on at the news division, based on interviews with 10 people familiar with the situation. Among the things they said was that Weiss no longer felt that King's $15 million salary was feasible.

At the time, the outlet reported that King was considering other options at the news division party due to the possibility of a paycut. Of course, it's unclear if King's pay was decreased upon signing a new contract to remain with CBS.

'CBS Mornings' Ratings Are Up, But The Show Remains Last

 

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Ratings matter when it comes to television and paying hefty salaries to morning television show hosts like King. Regarding "CBS Mornings," TV Insider reports the latest viewership showed a slight increase. Per the report, dated February 27, the show averaged 1.707 million viewers for the week of February 16.

However, "CBS Mornings" still ranks as the lowest-rated of the three network morning shows, including NBC's "Today" and ABC's "Good Morning America." Those shows averaged 3.289 and 2.952 million viewers, respectively. "Today" was down by 6% while "GMA" added 2%.