King was previously married to William Bumpus from 1982 to 1993 Gayle King has her sights set on a new accomplishment after traveling to space on a Blue Origin flight earlier this month.
The 70-year-old CBS Mornings co-anchor attended the TIME 100 gala on Thursday, April 24, where she shared a joking bucket list item with PEOPLE.
“Getting married,” she declared when asked what was next on her bucket list. “No, piercing my ears.” The journalist was previously married to William Bumpus from 1982 to 1993 and they share daughter Kirby Bumpus, 38, and son William Bumpus Jr., 37.
On April 14, King went on Blue Origin’s all-female flight to space for around 11 minutes. She was joined by other stars, including Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez and more.
“I really am proud of me, because I never in a gazillion years thought I could do this,” King told a crowd after landing back on Earth. “I walked out of there thinking, ‘Gosh, I can do anything!’ “ When it comes to her love life, King has been candid about looking for romance. She previously opened up about the struggle of dating in the public eye during a May 2024 interview on The Tamron Hall Show.
“If I could go on a dating app and people didn’t know it was me, but I think it’s hard when you’re a public person,” she explained. “I do think that’s hard. So you just hope a friend of a friend.” As for what she’s interested in, King said that while she wants someone “definitely younger,” she noted, “I don’t want to date somebody I could have given birth to.”
In terms of her age range, she quipped, “I don’t want to be a nurse or a purse. I would like it that they have all of their teeth. That would be nice.”
But above all, King is looking for someone to support her in life and lift her up.
“You want somebody who celebrates you, who is excited for you, who is very comfortable in their own skin,” she added.
CBS may already have Gayle King’s replacement in mind, as the network’s new leaders appear set to let her, and her high-priced contract, hit the road.
And they could be welcoming back a familiar face to take over CBS Mornings.
King’s salary currently tops out at a whopping $15million a year. But new network owner David Ellison and CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss are looking to trim the fat at the struggling channel, and King, 70, could soon lose her throne.
According to journalist Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter, Weiss has already met with former CBS Evening News host Norah O’Donnell, who is reportedly desperate to revive her career.
“O’Donnell could return to CBS Mornings,” Darcy confided, “particularly as Gayle King’s massive paycheck may become difficult to justify in the Ellison era, which is expected to include significant belt tightening.”
Ellison’s Paramount Skydance acquired CBS earlier this summer for reportedly $150million. After spending so much money, the new executives are reportedly preparing for wide layoffs.
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