Gayle King Reveals She Turned Down Opportunity To Take Over Oprah’s Talk Show: It Wouldn’t Be Fair To My Kids

Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey

Gayle King Reveals She Turned Down Opportunity To Take Over Oprah’s Talk Show: It Wouldn’t Be Fair To My Kids

CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King shared that she previously turned down a major job opportunity to take over her longtime friend Oprah Winfrey’s talk show at the time for the sake of her young children. Gayle King explained,

“It would be great for me, it’d be really great for me. But that wouldn’t be fair to them. [Oprah] was talking about giving the show up because she wanted to go into acting. She wanted go to into acting, she wanted to act full-time because she loved acting. So her plan was, you move to Chicago and we’ll incorporate you in the show, so at the end of the year, I can sort of pass the baton, and I was really…imagine a huge opportunity. I was really excited about that. And the kids were, you know, we were divorced so they were still young and then I realized that that wouldn’t be fair to them.”

At the time of the opportunity, Gayle King was trying to raise her two, now older, children Kirby and William Jr to ensure that they felt loved and secure. She worried that moving for work would not be the best decision for her kids,

“So in the end, I just decided to not take her up on that offer. But favorite daughter, Kirby, favorite son, Will, their wellbeing to me was more important than whatever career opportunity I could have had at the time, and I don’t regret that.”

Gayle is now a co anchor on CBS This Morning after joining the show in January of 2012. She previously had her own show on Oprah Winfrey’s network OWN back in 2011.

Oprah’s nationally syndicated talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show ran for 25 seasons and ended on May 25, 2011. Gayle worked as a special correspondent on Oprah’s talk show.

Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King

Back in March, Gayle and Oprah reflected on the news anchor’s moment of backlash, when she questioned WNBA legend Lisa Leslie’s stance on Kobe Bryant’s 2003 rape allegations. Gayle King received harsh criticism from the public, with death threats being the most severe of the backlash.

While at a stop on Oprah’s  “2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour,” the media powerhouses opened up about their friendship:

“Oprah Winfrey: I never needed therapy because I had you as my friend!

 Gayle King: We have talked about everything and nothing. You’ve never had therapy, but I’ve been to five therapists when I was married. And may I just say this? Nobody has been a better therapist than Oprah!”

What are your thoughts on Gayle King revealing she turned down an opportunity to host Oprah’s talk show for the sake of her children? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.