Back in April, CNN announced that Charles Barkley and Gayle King would be joining forces for a new show titled “King Charles,” a live-discussion program that would be broadcast on the outlet weekly. “What I think is so great for the both of us is that it’s live TV,” King said during an appearance on TNT at that time. “To me, live TV is like working without a net. So whatever happens, happens. I like that.”
“We don’t want to say, ‘We’re a liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat,’” Barkley added. “That’s one of the things that’s already ruined television in general.”
Today (Nov. 20), the news outlet confirmed that the series will premiere on Nov. 29 and is confirmed to remain in a Wednesday slot through 2024. “‘King Charles,’ an hourly talk show, features the dynamic Gayle King and Charles Barkley engaging each other, their guests and their audience in freewheeling and authentic conversations centered around the week’s most interesting stories, moments and cultural themes,” a press release read.
Currently, Barkley reports for TNT’s “Inside the NBA” alongside Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal. In 24 years, the 11-time NBA All-Star won four Sports Emmys in the Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Analyst category and, along with his fellow hosts, received the inaugural Transformative Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Barkley was also named to the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class in 2020. Meanwhile, King works as an anchor for “CBS Mornings,” with her most recent interview being with JAY-Z in celebration of his “Book of HOV” exhibit in Brooklyn, NY.
“‘King Charles’ is different than anything we have on CNN’s lineup,” said CNN Executive Vice President for Talent and Content Development Amy Entelis in a statement to Variety. “It’s not a newscast, but rather a talk show centered around the news stories and cultural moments that Gayle and Charles are most interested in.”