Gayle King Thought She Was 'Being Punked' When She Was Asked to Pose for 'Sports Illustrated' Swimsuit Issue
Gayle King is proving that age is just a number!
“Talk about stepping outside of your box. Honest to God, when they called me, I thought I was being punked. I did. I thought I was being punked,” the CBS Mornings co-host gushed over the surprising invitation she received from Sports Illustrated to pose as a swimsuit model.
King admitted that before seizing the opportunity, she first consulted her "kitchen cabinet," which includes her two children and her long-time best friend Oprah Winfrey, 70.
"This could be so fun," Winfrey said as she was thrilled over the idea.
Her kids also showed their support, saying, "Go for it!"
King was shocked by the positive comments she got on social media after her photos were released.
“I’ve had so many women come up to me and say, that was so brave,” she told People. “Was it brave? I was just excited.”
“That’s what it was for me. To show you that it’s 69 and feeling really fine," King continued.
One Instagram user commented on her orange swimsuit snap, posted by Oprah Daily, where she serves as editor-at-large, noting, "@gayleking is gorgeous inside and out. You can't filter inner beauty! 🌺."
"Wow! That's all I can say. Beautiful woman and what a figure!" another chimed in.
"Sensational, go ahead Gayle King 👑," a fan added.
- Meghan Markle Dazzles in Pink While Attending Friend's Baby Shower Alongside Blake Lively, Casey Wilson and More
- TMI? Gayle King Admits She Doesn't Enjoy 'Wearing Underwear' to Bed: 'I Like to Feel the Breeze'
- Andy Cohen 'Regrets' Asking Oprah Winfrey If She's Ever Been Intimate With a Woman: 'Couldn't I Leave It Alone?'
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
While the TV personality expressed satisfaction with how her photoshoot went, she didn’t expect that she would make it to the cover.
“I wanted tasteful cleavage, and they delivered on all of that,” she remarked, referring to one of the swimsuits the outlet made her wear.
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
In June, SI Swimsuit posted a video of King on Instagram with the caption, "2024 Cover Star @gayleking said it best,👏."
As part of the shoot, King was asked what advice she would give to women of color aspiring to succeed in the field, to which she said: “Prepare. Prepare. Prepare.”
“Don’t take NO for an answer,” she continued, referring to the importance of persistence and dedication in achieving one's goals.
King faced a lot of challenges in her professional career, including the cancelation of The Gayle King Show. However, she is killing it.
As previously reported by Asset Magazine in August, she "has amassed an $80 million net worth," including 14 luxury cars, a beach house in Malibu and an upstate New York farmhouse.