Gayle King directly addressed longstanding rumors of a feud with Norah O'Donnell during O'Donnell's return to "CBS Mornings" on Tuesday, September 8. O'Donnell, who previously co-anchored the morning show before moving to "CBS Evening News," rejoined King and Nate Burleson for her first appearance back on the program.
As O'Donnell was welcomed back, King made a notable comment acknowledging their past. "Norah and I have history, so we are ready," King said. O'Donnell responded with a smile, stating, "We do," before King added, "We got this."
The on-air exchange occurred amidst reports suggesting King was unhappy about O'Donnell's potential return to the morning show. A source told The New York Post last month that King "did not want Norah to return to the show," with another source characterizing their relationship as "frenemies."
However, other reports indicated King's involvement in the hiring process for a new co-host. A network insider suggested that "nothing" would have proceeded without King's approval.
Senior Broadcast Producer Jon Tower, in a memo obtained by the Daily Mail, framed O'Donnell's return as a "homecoming." He highlighted the "chemistry" the two hosts shared during their seven years working together, calling their partnership "one of the most memorable in the history of morning news."
O'Donnell had co-anchored "CBS Mornings" with King, Charlie Rose, and John Dickerson before her promotion to "CBS Evening News" in 2019. She served in that role until January of the previous year and has since taken on a role as a "60 Minutes" correspondent.
O'Donnell expressed her own sentiment about returning, calling it a "real homecoming" in an Instagram post. She noted the significant life changes she had experienced since last anchoring the morning show, including having three children in Montessori school then and dropping three children off at college recently.
Previous reports from 2019 had suggested King had been instrumental in O'Donnell's departure from the morning show, with allegations that King had pushed for O'Donnell's removal during contract negotiations. However, former CBS News president Susan Zirinsky denied these claims at the time, calling them "offensive and 100 percent false."