7 years later, she’s BACK! How fans are reacting to Norah O’Donnell’s CBS return despite ‘feud’ with Gayle King
Norah O’Donnell returns to CBS Mornings as permanent anchor 7 years after departure – despite ‘feud’ with Gayle King
Norah O’Donnell returns to CBS Mornings despite ‘feud’ with co-host Gayle King
NORAH O’Donnell has returned to CBS Mornings for the first time after a seven-year hiatus.
The journalist started her first day on Tuesday as a permanent co-anchor of the morning show alongside Gayle King.
Norah O’Donnell has returned to her co-hosting role on CBS Mornings after taking a seven-year hiatusCredit: CBS
Norah appeared on Tuesday morning’s show alongside Gayle King and Nate BurlesonCredit: CBS
Norah previously hosted the program but left to take over the news desk on the CBS Evening News.
She returned to her roots alongside Gayle, whom she co-hosted with from 2012 to 2019, then known as CBS This Morning, and Nate Burleson.
“Thank you for having me back. It’s great to be here,” the TV star said at the beginning of the hour.
“I’m thrilled about what is an exciting show ahead and a big week ahead, too,” she added.
Nate then said that Norah’s addition to the group marked a new revival for the long-running program.
“We’re going to make this next chapter our best chapter here on CBS Mornings, that’s for sure,” he assured her.
“And you’re going to be a big part of that.”
However, Gayle couldn’t ignore the “history” she and Norah shared after reuniting on-screen.
“Norah and I have history, so we are ready to go,” Gayle said, and Norah agreed. “We do!”
“We got this, Norah. We got this, Nate,” Gayle promised.
Meanwhile, sources claimed Gayle wasn’t on board with Norah coming back to the show after her years-long absence.
“Gayle was not happy,” an insider told the New York Post.
Norah previously co-hosted the show with Gayle and Charlie Rose from 2012 to 2019Credit: Alamy
Gayle and Norah have reportedly had a strained relationship, and Gayle didn’t want her to return to the showCredit: Getty
“She does not want Norah to return to the show.”
Another source reportedly described their relationship to the outlet as “cordial colleagues bordering on frenemies.”
The insider noted of the co-host’s strained bond, “Gayle is an authentic person. She loves the news. Norah loves the idea of being on the news.”
Despite their differences, it’s assumed Gayle eventually gave the green light for Norah’s return, given her stature with the network.
A source reportedly told the Post that the veteran host is heavily involved in “the process of finding a new co-host,” and that “nothing will happen without her blessing.”
CBS announced Norah’s return on September 3, which the host called a “real homecoming” in an Instagram post celebrating the news shortly after.
“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,” Norah’s caption read.
“What a journey!”
