*When Gayle King’s contract with CBS News expires in May, networks are expecting to explode in a bidding war for the veteran journalist.
King, 67, currently earns around $9 million a year as an anchor on “CBS Mornings,” and Page Six reports that CBS sources said they “will do everything we can to keep King.”
One TV insider said, “Gayle’s contract is up at CBS in a few months and the networks are gearing up for a bidding war for the ages.”
Per the report, the insider noted that MSNBC “could possibly put in a huge bid to have Gayle take over Rachel Maddow’s vacant nightly slot.”
READ MORE: Oprah’s Favorite Things with Gayle King and Adam Glassman | WATCH
A separate TV insider added, “If ABC or NBC gets Gayle, it’s game over at CBS for talent.
“The question is, does Gayle want to carry on the morning show in New York when her whole family and best friend are on the West Coast?
“ABC could give her the third hour of ‘GMA’ to host from Los Angeles, or a different daytime show.
“Gayle has proven herself as one of the most talented broadcasters on TV, so the bottom line here is money, and what Gayle wants to do.”
Oprah’s bestie was reportedly ready to leave the network amid the chaos following the firing of Charlie Rose and Les Moonves.
When asked by The Associated Press in 2019 if she plans on staying with CBS News, King replied: “Ooh, that’s a good question. All I can say is I really love my job. And I think it’s kind of foolish to predict the future.”
King also told The Post’s Jalen Rose last October, “CBS didn’t hire me to give my opinion on the news … I also never lose sight of the fact I’m not a robot. I am a human being. And in addition to being a newscaster, I also am a citizen of this country and a mother and all of those things and a woman. And all of those things matter to me.”
King recently celebrated her 10 year anniversary as a presenter on the show that was previously called “CBS This Morning”.
“I’m just so excited that it’s my 10th anniversary, that I’m still here!” King told her co-hosts Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson
“After all this time, I still love this job … I think it’s an awesome, awesome job. It’s a privilege, and I don’t take it lightly. I love being here with you guys.”
