Gayle King thought someone was pulling a fast one on her when she got the call to be a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit star.
The “CBS Mornings” co-host told People Tuesday that she was “really happy” but skeptical after hearing the offer.
“Talk about stepping outside of your box,” she told the outlet. “Honest to God, when they called me, I thought I was being punked. I did. I thought I was being punked.”
King made her debut in the SI Swimsuit 2024 issue in March, wearing several different sizzling one-pieces for the fun shoot.
Although the TV maven was originally told she was “just going to be on the inside,” they later surprised her as one of the mag’s cover stars.
King said she was “thrilled” to be chosen as a solo star — but cared more about the message it sent to other women.
“I’ve had so many women come up to me and say, that was so brave,” she said. “Was it brave? I was just excited.”
“That’s what it was for me,” she continued. “To show you that it’s 69 and feeling really fine.”
The television host was also joined on the 60th anniversary issue by Hunter McGrady, Kate Upton, Tyra Banks, Martha Stewart, Paulina Porizkova, Nina Agdal, Brooklyn Decker and other icons.
King previously told People that being on the cover “wasn’t something [she] dreamed about” but it quickly became one of the “highlights” of her career.
“I wanted tasteful cleavage, and they delivered on all of that,” King said of her looks.
On her morning show, King opened up about how the photos healed decades-old insecurities.
The Emmy-winning journalist revealed her grandma once told her, “Mother nature was not as kind to you as she was to other little girls. Maybe you need to start wearing makeup like your friend [Oprah].”
“But when I look at that, I look damn good,” she beamed.
Her ex-husband, William Bumpus, also agreed that she was looking “fantastic.”
“Well, I can mark off one more item on my highly unlikely to ever happen bucket list! My teenage fantasy of hooking up with a Sports Illustrated Model has finally come true,” the lawyer told Page Six in May.
“WOW! Bravo to you Gayle … You Look Fantastic! Bravo to Sports Illustrated for selecting YOU!”
Bumpus — who was married to King from 1982 to 1993 — went on to praise her “beauty,” saying he appreciates her “more and more as time goes on.”
“I am proud of you and continue to wish you nothing but happiness.”
