Gayle King Says Oprah Refused to Shut Down Rumors They Were ‘Secretly Gay’ On Air: ‘It Used to Really Bother Me’

May 27, 2026 3:32pm PT Gayle King Says Oprah Refused to Shut Down Rumors They Were ‘Secretly Gay’ On Air: ‘It Used to Really Bother Me’

By Matt Minton

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Matt Minton

mminton@variety.com

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Gayle King is once again speaking out about the long-standing rumor that she was dating Oprah Winfrey, and explaining why the iconic host refused to publicly shut it down on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Speaking with Alex Cooper on her viral “Call Her Daddy” podcast, the CBS Mornings co-host was asked how she used to “handle” rumors that she was secretly dating Winfrey: “It used to really bother me. I was recently divorced and the National Enquirer did a story about [how] that’s the reason for the divorce, because they’re secretly gay.”

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