Born in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Gayle King spent several years of her childhood in Ankara, Turkey, before returning to the United States. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 1976 with a degree in psychology and sociology. Her broadcasting journey began that same year as a production assistant at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, where she met her lifelong friend, Oprah Winfrey. She later spent 18 years as an award-winning news anchor at WFSB in Hartford, Connecticut.

King joined CBS News in 2011 and has since become a cornerstone of the network’s morning news coverage. She has led high-profile coverage of major national events and conducted career-defining interviews with figures such as R. Kelly and Cherelle Griner. In early 2026, she signed a significant multi-year contract extension to remain with CBS Mornings, further cementing her legacy in broadcast journalism.

In her personal life, King was married to attorney William Bumpus from 1982 to 1993, with whom she has two children, Kirby and William Jr. She is an avid traveler and a prominent figure in the media, frequently cited as one of the world’s most influential people.