Gayle King Addresses Long-Standing Speculation About Her Relationship With Oprah Winfrey

Gayle King is revisiting the persistent speculation that has surrounded her and Oprah Winfrey for years.

The 71-year-old CBS Mornings host became the subject of the rumors during a recent episode of Call Her Daddy, where she discussed the longstanding chatter about her and the 72-year-old media mogul.

King explained that the speculation once weighed on her significantly. "It used to really bother me. I was recently divorced…The National Enquirer did a story… that's the reason for the divorce, because they're secretly gay. Number one, if we were gay, we would tell you because, believe me, there's nothing wrong with it. It's just, I prefer a man," she said.

The television personality emphasized that if such a relationship existed, she and Winfrey would have been forthright about it. "We would tell you," King stated.

At one point, King recalled urging Winfrey to address the rumors publicly on her talk show. "You've got to say something on your show because it's hard enough for me to get a date on a Saturday night, and now people think I'm a lesbian. You've got to say something," she remembered telling her longtime friend.

Winfrey ultimately chose not to make any public statement about the matter. King noted the disconnect in their situations, saying it was "fine for you to say, you have somebody. I don't."

Over time, King's perspective on the rumors has shifted. "So it used to really bother me. And now, even today, there's still people that say, 'Well, you know, the truth is…' I don't care. I've now gotten to the point in my life that very few things get to me," she reflected.