At the 2025 Footwear News Achievement Awards, Gayle King addressed swirling rumors about her potential departure from CBS News. Speaking at the event on Wednesday, the seasoned broadcaster, who has been a fixture on CBS Mornings since 2012, shed light on her future with the network.

While attending the awards ceremony at Cipriani 25 Broadway in downtown, King, 70, spoke candidly to the Daily Mail about her career trajectory. She reassured fans and media alike, stating, “I’m still there, I’m planning to be there,” in reference to her ongoing role at CBS. Known widely as Oprah Winfrey’s best friend, King maintained her characteristic poise and humor when asked if she had any further comments on the speculation, responding with a playful, “No, what do you know?”

Adding to the glamour of the evening, King made a fashion statement in a striking red blazer and matching trousers. The ensemble was from Favorite Daughter, a brand established by Erin and Sara Foster, to whom King was presenting an award that night.

When asked if there was anything she could address about the situation, she playfully replied, ‘No, what do you know?’ 

King looked chic in a red blazer and matching trousers from Favorite Daughter, the label founded by Erin and Sara Foster, to whom she was presenting an award during the event.

In October, it was reported by Variety that King was expected to leave the network’s morning show next year, with her contract set to end in May, as major changes under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss continue. 

Gayle King, 70, broke her silence on rumors that she is expected to depart from CBS News while attending the 2025 Footwear News Achievement Awards on Wednesday

‘I’m still there, I’m planning to be there,’ Oprah Winfrey’s best friend told the Daily Mail while speaking about her future career plans at CBS

Elsewhere at Wednesday’s event, King shared that her favorite thing from pal Oprah’s favorites list are Sara Blakely’s Sneex – a sneaker-heel hybrid.

‘I think I bought every damn color,’ she admitted, adding they are ‘fantastic.’

When asked what she will be doing for the holidays, King playfully replied, ‘eating.’

It was previously rumored that she may not be purged from the CBS network entirely, as they may give her a new contract to produce specials for the network, similar to what happened to ex-CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell. 

‘There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026. She’s a truly valued part of CBS and we look forward to engaging with her about the future,’ the network told Variety in a statement.

CBS Mornings is currently a distant third place among the major networks, having averaged just 1.8million viewers in the week ending October 20.

In that same period, Good Morning America led the way with 2.71million viewers on ABC, while The Today Show trailed close behind at 2.69million.

However, King has brought prestige to the network and valuable ties with Oprah via the pair’s decades-long friendship.

When asked if there was anything she could address about the situation, she playfully replied, ‘No, what do you know?’

The anchor, who has hosted CBS Mornings under various titles since 2012, opened up about her future at the network at the event, held at Cipriani 25 Broadway downtown

King looked chic in a red blazer and matching trousers from Favorite Daughter, the label founded by Erin and Sara Foster, to whom she was presenting an award 

 Elsewhere at Wednesday’s event, King shared that her favorite thing from pal Oprah’s favorites list are Sara Blakely’s Sneex – a sneaker-heel hybrid

When asked what she will be doing for the holidays, King playfully replied, ‘eating’

She posed with Erin and Sara on the red carpet 

She mingled with former GMA co-host Michael Strahan

King was also spotted with Pharrell Williams (left)

Massive job cuts are already underway at the network and company, however, with the network’s formidable new Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss telling staff that an ‘enormously difficult’ period lies ahead.

The network also killed off a team focused on race and culture as part of sweeping layoffs across the network.

The Race and Culture Unit, founded in July 2020, had been tasked with ensuring ‘all stories have the proper context, tone and intention’ before publishing, according to CBS parent company Paramount.

The Daily Mail confirmed the unit was entirely eliminated along with several other positions across CBS News.

At CBS News, nearly 100 positions are reportedly being eliminated, with a further 2,000 across Paramount, its parent company.

The entire team overseeing CBS Saturday Morning – including anchors Michelle Miller, Dana Jacobson and Executive Producer Brian Applegate – were among those let go.

The streaming editions of both CBS Evening News and CBS Mornings are both being killed off.

Weiss reportedly acknowledged the cuts on the network’s morning editorial call, calling it a ‘enormously difficult day.’

Paramount chairman David Ellison discussed layoffs in a note to staff.

In October, it was reported by Variety that King was expected to leave the network’s morning show next year, with her contract set to end in May 

‘In some areas, we are addressing redundancies that have emerged across the organization,’ he wrote.

‘In others, we are phasing out roles that are no longer aligned with our evolving priorities and the new structure designed to strengthen our focus on growth.’

CBS – founded in 1927 and once home to such journalistic titans as Walter Cronkite – has been suffering for some time.

With the advent of Covid and under the staunchly liberal Biden administration, left-wing journalists were given carte blanche to use their platform to advance a myopic political agenda at odds with the majority of ordinary Americans.

The result was an exodus of viewers and the near-destruction of a once-venerable institution, now warped into a liberal echo-chamber.