A familiar face will be returning to the CBS flagship morning show, with Norah O’Donnell set to retake her spot on “CBS Mornings.”
People has confirmed that O’Donnell — who exited in 2019 to take on anchor duties on “CBS Evening News,” will be reuniting with former “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King, alongside Nate Burleson.
‘A Real Homecoming’
O’Donnell confirmed the news in an Instagram post.
“This feels like a real homecoming,” she wrote in the caption. “When I last anchored the morning show I had three kids in Montessori school, and this past week I dropped three kids off at college. What a journey!”
The official announcement that O’Donnell was rejoining “CBS Mornings” went out in a memo to CBS staffers on Thursday, September 3.
“This is a homecoming for Norah,” wrote “CBS Mornings” executive producer Jon Tower in that memo.
“As we all know, for seven years, Norah helped lead ‘CBS This Morning’ alongside Gayle, creating one of the most memorable partnerships in the history of morning news,” Tower continued, pointing to O’Donnell’s experience as a former “CBS Evening News” anchor and “60 Minutes” correspondent.
“All of that experience and energy makes her a perfect match for Gayle and Nate,” Tower wrote, praising King as “one of the hardest-working and best interviewers in the business” and Burleson’s “curiosity, warmth, spontaneity and a perspective” that he brings to the show.
“Put the three of them together, and we have something very special,” he added.
“They have a friendship and chemistry that extends beyond the studio,” Tower said of King’s friendship with O’Donnell. “They know each other, respect each other, and — maybe most importantly — genuinely enjoy each other. To put it simply, I can’t think of a team I’d rather watch navigate the news than Gayle, Nate and Norah.”
Tower, who was exec producer during the years when King and O’Donnell worked together, shared his excitement at reuniting the “CBS Mornings” dream team.
“I loved being part of it then,” he wrote, “and I’m incredibly excited to have the opportunity to do it again.”
Gayle King Played a Key Role
CBSNetwork sources tell People that King was instrumental in O’Donnell’s return to the show, referencing their close 15-year friendship.
King was reportedly a “full-time partner” in the search for a co-host, and was intimately involved in discussions throughout the search that ultimately landed on her former co-host.
The source notes that the two women bring differing perspectives to the show, yet also “complement each other in every way.”
‘A Lot of Life in Morning Television’
As People points out, the new lineup for “CBS Mornings” teaming up O’Donnell with King and Burleson is one of many sweeping changes that have been taking place within CBS’ news division in recent months.
Speaking with Variety about the new “CBS Mornings” lineup, CBS News president Tom Cibrowski insisted he was bullish on the future of network television morning shows.
“We believe there is a lot of life left in morning television, and therefore we are putting our best people on the field,” Cibrowski said.
“People have very serious issues to deal with every day in their lives, and between Norah, Gayle and Nate, the three of them bring relatability, credibility, experience and knowledge, and they are incredibly familiar to CBS viewers, which is important,” he added.
