Charles Barkley Opens Up About Potential CNN Show With Gayle King

CNN is recruiting the NBA analyst to co-host a show with King.

Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD), the parent company of TNT, TBS and CNN, has pitched the idea of a CNN show featuring NBA analyst Charles Barkley and CBS News’ Gayle King, according to a report from Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

“[CNN is] trying to pair Gayle King and me,” Barkley told The Post. “We don’t have anything set in stone. I’m only considering it because of my respect for Gayle. … It would be an honor and a privilege to work with Gayle.”

The potential news program would not be a daily show, Barkley said, which is in large part due to his existing obligations and busy schedule with his NBA coverage for TNT. It would also not premiere until the fall, at the earliest, following TNT’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament and the NBA playoffs.

The 60-year-old signed a 10-year contract extension with WBD last October following overtures from LIV Golf. Per Marchand, Barkley’s contract is believed to be in the range of Tony Romo’s $180 million contract with CBS. 

However, Marchand also noted that Barkley and his co-hosts at Inside the NBA could become free agents following the 2024–25 season if WBD does not extend its media rights deal with the NBA.