CNN Reportedly Pitching Gayle King on Joining Network to Host New Show

Screenshot via CBS

CNN CEO Chris Licht is looking to add Gayle King to the network’s prime-time lineup, according to a new report.

Licht has made a number of drastic changes since taking over CNN, including axing network stars like Brian Stelter, shaking up its schedule, rebooting its morning show, and even adding a segment of Bill Maher’s Real Time to its lineup.

The latest change Licht is looking to put in place is adding Gayle King to the team, according to a new report from Dylan Byers for Puck News.

King hosting a CNN show would mark a reunion for her and Licht as the current CNN CEO previously worked on CBS This Morning, now called CBS Mornings, and brought on King as one of the hosts.

King renewed her contract with CBS early last year but with a show on CNN’s prime time, she could juggle hosting both gigs (with a similar deal as Anderson Cooper, who works both at CNN and CBS News as a correspondent for 60 Minutes). Licht reportedly approached King with this offer recently as part of his effort to rebrand the network.

According to reports before King’s CBS contract was set to expire, CNN proposed she take over the prime time spot vacated by Chris Cuomo.

In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times addressing ongoing changes and announcing the Maher addition to the schedule, Licht said he has talked to a number of people about joining CNN. He claimed the network is not interested in “partisan hackery and ideological talking points” in its prime time schedule.

Licht also said the network needed time to restore “trust.”

“You can talk to a lot of different people as to why that has eroded, but as opposed to looking back I will say one of our missions is to restore our reputation as the most trusted name in news. We certainly have research that shows that [trust] has eroded,” he said.