It’s official. Gayle King and Charles Barkley will co-host a new weekly primetime show on CNN called King Charles.
The CBS Mornings anchor and the former NBA star made the announcement Saturday on CNN’s sister network TNT.
“What I think is so great for the both of us is that it’s live TV,” King said on TNT’s NBA Tip-Off. “To me, live TV is like working without a net… So whatever happens, happens. I like that.”
“I want the show to be nonpolitical,” Barkley added. Although King said they will discuss politics.
Still, Barkley noted, “We don’t want to say we’re a liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat, that’s one of the things that’s already ruined television in general. I know she’s going to be a straight shooter. I’m going to be a straight shooter.”
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King also revealed she was approached by CNN and did not seek out the opportunity.
“I wasn’t looking for another job. Were you?” she asked Barkley. “No. When they said something, I said, ‘Hell no. I don’t want to be on TV more.'”
The two spoke privately and decided it would be interesting to work together.
Chris Licht, CNN’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement the show “will be an exciting new way we are delivering culturally relevant programming and unique perspectives to our audience, from two incredibly dynamic personalities.”
Topics on the show will range from hard-hitting subjects like gun control to pop culture.
Licht noted that King will continue to anchor CBS Mornings, and Barkley will remain at his job as an NBA analyst on Warner Bros. Discovery Sports programming.
News that CNN was courting King and Barkley surfaced last month after the cable news network logged its lowest quarterly ratings since 2015.
King Charles will begin airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the fall.
Watch the video CNN shared of Gayle King and Charles Barkley discussing their new show:
Coming this fall, King Charles with Gayle King and Charles Barkley will air weekly on CNN in primetime running into 2024. Hear Gayle and Charles talk about their new show on @NBAonTNT. pic.twitter.com/ZMqYXdtYBw
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) April 22, 2023
