Norah O’Donnell is set to return to “CBS Mornings” as a co-anchor, according to a source familiar with the matter. She will join current hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson on the program, which will be relaunched as “CBS Mornings” starting Tuesday.
O’Donnell’s return marks a homecoming to the morning show, which she previously co-hosted as “CBS This Morning” with King and Charlie Rose. Rose was removed from the program in 2017 following allegations of sexual harassment.
In 2019, O’Donnell was appointed anchor of “CBS Evening News,” a role she held for five years. Her departure from the evening news anchor position came amidst declining ratings, prompting a redesign of the program by then-CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon. That iteration of the evening news featured co-anchors Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson.
Following that change, the morning show underwent further adjustments under CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. Tony Dokoupil, who had been a co-host, moved to the evening news, leaving his morning chair vacant since January. A series of substitute anchors have since rotated through the role with limited success, as the show’s ratings have fallen to historic lows, averaging between 1.6 million and 1.7 million total viewers.
Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski are reportedly looking to O’Donnell to bring stability to the show. Her reunion with King is anticipated to coincide with the program’s new season premiere in September. Speculation about O’Donnell’s potential return to the morning show had circulated since February, further fueled by her recent appearances in promotional videos for “CBS Mornings.”
Sources have indicated that King was taken by surprise by O’Donnell’s potential return, citing a sometimes strained relationship between the two personalities. CBS News is expected to implement additional changes to the program, including a format that may draw inspiration from MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”