Gayle King Shuts Down CBS Exit Rumors Amid Paramount-Skydance Shakeup

Gayle King is setting the record straight after reports surfaced claiming she planned to leave CBS Mornings once her contract ends in May 2026.

Following mass layoffs and headline-making exits across CBS, Variety reported that King was expected to depart the network, citing “four people with knowledge of the situation.” But when TMZ caught up with the veteran journalist outside the CBS Broadcast Center, King made it clear she was just as surprised as anyone.

“What I’m hearing in the building is not what I’m reading in the press,” she said. “And what I’m not going to do is negotiate in the media.”

#EXCLUSIVE 😳 Gayle King angrily addresses the reports that she’s out at ‘CBS Mornings’ … https://t.co/cBUQMzFQfH pic.twitter.com/4kxeEVpDSJ

— TMZ (@TMZ) October 31, 2025

King added that CBS executives “appreciate” her work and want her to stay. Still, she admitted she has “no idea” what will happen after her contract expires under the newly merged Paramount-Skydance leadership. “I like the job and the people that I work with,” she said. “I don’t know what to tell you.”

CBS News quickly followed up, confirming that no formal talks have taken place.

“There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026,” a spokesperson told PEOPLE. “She’s a truly valued part of CBS, and we look forward to engaging with her about the future.”

The timing of the rumor comes as Paramount undergoes a massive restructuring following an $8 billion merger with Skydance, approved by Donald Trump earlier this week. CEO David Ellison announced the layoffs in a company-wide memo, writing that the cuts were intended to “address redundancies” and “phase out roles no longer aligned with Paramount’s future.”

For now, Gayle King isn’t going anywhere—at least not according to her. And as the media giant reshapes its future, one of morning television’s most recognizable voices is keeping her focus firmly on the present.