TV personalities Gayle King and Charles Barkley will headline a new primetime weekly CNN show, King Charles, debuting in the fall, the network announced Saturday as it tries to engineer a turnaround amid tumbling ratings.
CNN is zeroing in on Gayle King and Charles Barkley to host a weekly primetime show for the network, as chairman and CEO Chris Licht aims to revitalize the ratings-challenged nighttime lineup. The Wall Street Journal reported that a deal with King is being finalized, but sources say that talks are ongoing with the two personalities. The intent has been to add an extra bit of star power to its 9 p.m. ET primetime hour, which has lacked a permanent host since Chris Cuomo was fired in December, 2021. That time slot has been among the most competitive on cable news.
CNN CEO Chris LIcht, looking to boost a low-scoring primetime lineup, is reportedly trying to get NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley to do a primetime show on the news network. According to Puck News, Licht is in negotiations to get Barkley to do a news-oriented primetime show. In the show, Barkley would interview newsmakers, journalists and other guests about the topics of the day.
Charles Barkley has agreed to a 10-year deal with TNT that is expected to be worth well north of nine figures. The exact amount Barkley will make is not yet known if he fulfills the entire contract, but it will be well in excess of $100 million and could approach $200 million. Barkley could decide to retire from TV before the deal ends.
