Norah O’Donnell is returning to co-anchor CBS Mornings alongside Gayle King and Nate Burleson on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, marking a homecoming for the veteran journalist as network executives implement editorial and staffing overhauls.
The return of Norah O’Donnell to daytime television brings one of the network’s most recognizable journalists back to the morning anchor desk she previously shared with Gayle King from 2012 to 2019. The official announcement, delivered on Thursday, September 3, 2026, places O’Donnell back in the studio alongside King and former NFL star Nate Burleson. The slot became vacant after Tony Dokoupil moved over to anchor the evening broadcast.
For the network, the programming shift arrives as “CBS Mornings” faces documented ratings challenges against its morning competitors on NBC and ABC.
Behind the Scenes of the Network Revamp Under Bari Weiss
O’Donnell’s reinstatement to the morning show is part of a broader corporate and editorial reorganization orchestrated by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and President Tom Cibrowski. Since taking the helm, Weiss has implemented changes across multiple flagship programs, including staff shuffles at “60 Minutes”—where O’Donnell was recently promoted to full-time correspondent—and O’Donnell also hosts her weekly women’s health podcast, Healthful
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Internal discussions at the network have also weighed potential format changes. The show is expected to feature more live discussions of real-time news developments and hot topics, rather than feature segments.
The restructuring has not occurred without friction. Reports indicated that O’Donnell’s return to the morning shift allegedly displeases co-host Gayle King, though network leadership emphasized that King was consulted on the search for a third co-anchor.
Direct Pushback From O’Donnell Against Online Critics
The network’s leadership changes have polarized portions of the viewing audience. Following the official announcement shared on the program’s Instagram account, several users posted critical comments expressing opposition to Bari Weiss’s editorial direction and ownership under Paramount. Rather than ignoring the commentary, O’Donnell directly engaged with several detractors in the comment sections.
When one user argued that O’Donnell was too valuable for the network while Weiss remained in charge, O’Donnell replied, This is so silly. Just watch our show!
To another commenter stating they would avoid all programming due to recent executive decisions, O’Donnell responded simply, Thanks for commenting. Give us a try.
A Career Homecoming and the Road Ahead
For O’Donnell, the transition follows a notable multi-year run anchoring the evening broadcast, which concluded after the 2024 presidential election cycle. Reflecting on her personal and professional milestones during a staff call, O’Donnell noted the symmetry of returning to the morning chair just as she drops off her youngest child at college, marking the passage of time since she first launched the morning partnership years prior.
Producer Jon Tower praised the returning anchor in an internal staff memo, emphasizing the historical chemistry between the co-hosts. To put it simply, I can’t think of a team I’d rather watch navigate the news than Gayle, Nate and Norah,
Tower wrote in his memo to colleagues.
As the revamped trio prepares for their Tuesday debut, industry analysts will closely monitor whether the renewed lineup and adjusted format can reverse recent viewership declines and establish a stable footing in the fiercely competitive morning television landscape.
