Gayle King Says Oprah Romance Rumors “Used To Really Bother” Her

Gayle King, Oprah

Gayle King Says Oprah Romance Rumors “Used To Really Bother” Her

Gayle King is once again opening up about the decades-long rumors surrounding her friendship with Oprah Winfrey.

While on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, the longtime journalist admitted the speculation that she and Oprah were secretly romantically involved “used to really bother” her — especially because she felt it impacted her personal life.

King recalled previously asking Oprah to publicly shut the rumors down, explaining that it was harder for her to ignore the chatter because Oprah was already in a long-term relationship with Stedman Graham.

“I would say to Oprah, ‘You’ve got to say something on your show,’” King reportedly shared. “She said, ‘No, just leave it alone.’”

She also joked that Oprah had an easier time brushing off the speculation because “you have somebody, I don’t,” while she was still navigating dating life herself.

The pair have repeatedly denied romance rumors over the years, with both women previously saying that if they were gay, they would openly say so. Oprah has also explained that people may assume there’s something romantic between them because society rarely sees friendships between women that are that close and long-lasting.

Oprah and Gayle’s friendship dates back nearly 50 years after the two met while working at a Baltimore television station in the 1970s — and despite the constant speculation, the bond between them has remained one of the most iconic friendships in media.