Gayle King revealed that many people reached out to her after she recently posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue.
The CBS Mornings co-host said that after she stripped off at age 69 for the recent issue, which aired in May, “a lot of women” told her the same thing.
“A lot of women came up to me and said, ‘That was very brave,'” she said. People at the Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker show on Tuesday.
The TV personality, who was left speechless after Halle Berry made an unfiltered comment about her vagina on her daytime talk show, said she was “really happy” to be included in the magazine and was “thrilled” when she found out she had been chosen for a solo cover.
“Was it brave? I was excited. That’s what happened to me,” she said. “To show them that I’m 69 years old and I feel great.”
Gayle King revealed that many people reached out to her after she posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue recently. The CBS Mornings co-host said that after stripping off at age 69 for the recent issue, which was released in May, “a lot of women” told her the same thing.
“This means getting out of your comfort zone,” he added.
“I actually thought they were pulling my leg when they called me,” he recalled of finding out they wanted him to cover the final issue.
“I did,” he continued. “I thought they were pulling my leg.”
King also said he never dreamed of covering the magazine because he thought it would be impossible.
She previously told People after the magazine issue hit newsstands: “It wasn’t something I dreamed about.”
He added: “But it was one of the highlights of all the things I’ve done because I never thought this would be possible.”
In addition to King, Kate Upton, Hunter McGrady and Chrissy Teigen also posed for solo covers for the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
On May 14, when her fellow cover girls handed her a copy on air while filming CBS Mornings, King screamed with excitement.
“A lot of women have come up to me and said, ‘That was really brave,'” she said. “Was it brave? I was excited. That’s what happened to me,” she said. “To show them that I’m 69 years old and I feel really good.”
King also said he never dreamed of covering the magazine because he thought it would be impossible.
‘I’m on the cover! They told me I was only going to be inside! Isn’t this a dummy cover? Is this going to be on newsstands? Oh my God! Oh my God!’
The radio journalist continued: “I’m floating, I’m floating. I can’t believe it! Never in my wildest dreams! Never, never, never.”
On the cover, King sported a printed one-piece swimsuit and robe by Evarae.
“I wanted a tasteful neckline and they delivered,” she said of the swimsuits she wore for the photo shoot.
She also said that she did not go on any intense diet and maintained her regular workout routine for the photo shoot.
“The day before I had a cheeseburger,” she shared. “It’s one of my favorite things. I thought I would cut down on my food intake, but I didn’t even do that.”
She also said she was grateful to be able to help encourage future generations to embrace their inner confidence.
“We all know that beauty comes from within, but I also know that people see you with their eyes first,” she told the outlet.
In addition to King, Kate Upton, Hunter McGrady and Chrissy Teigen also posed for solo covers for the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue; photographed in February in Los Angeles.
On the cover, King sported a printed one-piece swimsuit and robe by Evarae. She also said she didn’t go on any intense diets and kept up her usual workout routine for the photo shoot, which was photographed in February in Los Angeles.
“I think looking good and feeling good is important,” she said. “But I also think that when you feel good, you look good. I don’t have any hang-ups about my age. I really don’t.”
For the 60th anniversary Legends photo shoot, Sports Illustrated also released three additional collectible swimsuit covers featuring 52 of the magazine’s past and present icons.
They brought together a group of power icons, including Brooklyn Decker, Christie Brinkley, Kate Love, Leyna Bloom, Lily Aldridge, Martha Stewart, Maye Musk, Molly Sims, Paulina Porizkova, Tyra Banks and Winnie Harlow.
On being in the same room as her peers, a group of icons, she said it was “a fun experience from start to finish.”