Gayle King Addresses Rumors About Her Relationship with Oprah Winfrey

Gayle King has spoken out regarding ongoing speculation surrounding her friendship with Oprah Winfrey, particularly rumors of a secret romantic relationship.

“It used to really bother me,” King mentioned during a conversation with Alex Cooper on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. She recounted how, following her divorce, an article suggested their parting was due to both being “secretly homosexual.”

She clarified, “First of all, if we were gay, we would say that. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I just happen to prefer men.” King reportedly confided to Winfrey about the challenges of dating in light of these rumors, saying, “It’s tough enough going out on a date, but now everyone thinks I’m a lesbian, so I feel I have to address it on the show.”

Winfrey’s response was, “No, you should leave it alone.”

In a light-hearted exchange, King remarked, “It’s hard enough for me to go on a date on a Saturday night, but now people think I’m a lesbian… I have to say something.”

Despite their banter, Winfrey insisted, “Leave me alone,” and King mentioned, “Yes, it’s easy for you to say that. You have someone, and I don’t.” Reflecting on her transition in mindset, King noted that she no longer lets such comments bother her. “I’m at a point in my life now where very few things bother me… I’m just trying to stay sane,” she shared.

Still, she admitted that if the chatter grew too loud, she might feel compelled to “state my case” for clarity’s sake, although she prefers not to dwell on it too much.

King expressed that she doesn’t shy away from the media. “I don’t want to look like I’m running away from something when I’ve done nothing wrong,” she added. Instead of avoiding the spotlight, she simply chooses to walk away from unproductive conversations.

Having known each other for about 50 years, King and Winfrey’s friendship began at a local station in Baltimore when they were both starting in their careers. King was previously married to William Bumpass but their marriage ended due to infidelity. Winfrey had a significant relationship with Stedman Graham during the 1980s.