Gayle King has shut down long-running rumors that she is dating her best friend Oprah Winfrey, addressing the speculation during a recent appearance on the podcast Call Her Daddy. King said the chatter about the two women being romantically involved has followed them for years, but insisted it is not true. She explained that if she and Winfrey were ever in a relationship, they would say so publicly, and added that there is nothing wrong with being gay, but she personally prefers men.
King reflected on how much the rumors used to affect her, especially after her 1993 divorce from William Bumpus, with whom she shares two children after 11 years of marriage. She said the speculation became more painful during that period, when headlines and tabloid stories suggested her friendship with Winfrey played a role in the split. At the time, she recalled, one tabloid even claimed she had a secret affair with Oprah. Over the years, King said she has learned to care less about outside opinions and no longer lets the rumors bother her the way they once did.
She explained that social media has made public criticism feel louder and more constant, but she now focuses on whether the people she trusts and respects are comfortable with who she is and what she is doing. According to King, that perspective has helped her become less reactive to gossip. She said that as long as she feels good about her life and her choices, she no longer feels the need to respond to every rumor.
Winfrey and King have addressed the speculation before. Two years ago, the longtime friends spoke about the issue on The Moments That Make Us, where King again said they would be honest if they were ever dating. Winfrey also defended their bond, saying their friendship works because they genuinely celebrate each other’s successes and support one another through challenges. She described their relationship as unusually close and mutual, noting that neither one tries to outdo the other in happiness or support.
King also shared that in the earlier years of their friendship, she used to ask Winfrey to publicly dismiss the rumors because they were affecting her dating life. She said the gossip made it harder for her to go on dates and even impacted her ability to enjoy a Saturday night out. King recalled that Winfrey would often tell her to ignore the speculation, but King felt differently because Oprah already had someone in her life, while she did not.
The two women first met while working at a television station in Baltimore. Their friendship began when a snowstorm led Winfrey to invite King to stay at her home, and the two have remained close ever since. Their decades-long bond has continued to attract public attention, but both women have consistently maintained that they are simply best friends.
