Norah O'Donnell Makes Major Comeback as She Returns to 'CBS Mornings' 7 Years After Leaving for Evening News
Norah O'Donnell is headed back to 'CBS Mornings.'
Sept. 3 2026, Published 6:05 p.m. ET
Norah O’Donnell is headed back to CBS Mornings, RadarOnline.com can report, reuniting with former co-host Gayle King and Nate Burleson.
O'Donnell is set to take over the anchor chair once occupied by Tony Dokoupil, as new CBS News Editor-In-Chief Bari Weiss continues her "anti-woke" makeover of the network.
Norah O'Donnell Heads Home
O'Donnell previously co-hosted the show with Gayle King for seven years.
O'Donnell's return is set to launch on September 8. She previously spent seven years on the morning show sitting next to King, before leaving in 2019 to assume the role of main anchor of the CBS Evening News – a role now taken by Dokoupil.
In an email to staff announcing the news, CBS Mornings senior producer Jon Tower said King and O'Donnell created "one of the most memorable partnerships in the history of the morning news" in their first run as co-hosts.
"They have a friendship and chemistry that extends beyond the studio," he said. "They know each other, respect each other, and — maybe most importantly – genuinely enjoy each other. To put it simply, I can't think of a team I'd rather watch navigate the news than Gayle, Nate and Norah."
Norah O'Donnell Celebrated for Her Wealth of Experience
O'Donnell's return was praised by company heads.
Tower went on to praise O'Donnell, 52, and her wealth of knowledge and experience, including having conducted interviews with presidents, global leaders, and even Pope Francis.
"All of that experience and energy makes her a perfect match for Gayle and Nate," Tower wrote, praising King, 71, as "one of the hardest-working and best interviewers in the business" while recognizing 45-year-old Burleson's "curiosity, warmth, spontaneity and a perspective."
"Put the three of them together, and we have something very special," he added.
More Changes Are Coming to 'CBS Mornings'
The struggling morning show plans on making other changes as well.
O'Donnell's addition is not the only big change coming to the morning show, which trails its competitors from ABC and NBC by more than a million viewers each and has seen its audience fall some 9 percent this year.
As part of the network's continuing newsroom overhaul, Variety reports CBS Mornings is expected to focus on fewer pre-taped feature segments and instead showcase live discussions on important topics.
Tom Cibrowski, the president of CBS News, told Variety he wants to bring more "in-the-moment" discussions tied to the news of the day, and pointed to the controversial Lindsay Clancy trial as an example.
"We believe there is a lot of life left in morning television, and therefore we are putting our best people on the field," he said. "People have very serious issues to deal with every day in their lives, and between Norah, Gayle and Nate, the three of them bring relatability, credibility, experience and knowledge, and they are incredibly familiar to CBS viewers, which is important."
Bari Weiss Takes Control of CBS News
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Bari Weiss was brought on to bring an 'anti-woke' approach to the news.
CBS is trying to save its falling ratings and cratering reputation since the arrival of Weiss. The network has experienced mass upheaval ever since Paramount/Skydance boss David Ellison handpicked the 42-year-old to become head of the news division in October 2025.
The Free Press founder came in with a mandate to bring the shows back to a more moderate, balanced stance after the programs were accused of going too "woke" and liberal-leaning – something O'Donnell addressed on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast.
The veteran newswoman was initially diplomatic when asked about the "buzz" around CBS and the "microscope" under which their news shows are being scrutinized.
"I have worked at CBS now for almost 14 years and have had a great career, whether it was covering the White House, anchoring the morning show, anchoring the evening news, and working for 60 Minutes," O'Donnell began.
"We have had a lot of leadership changes at CBS, and that has been challenging, not only for me, but I know, for my colleagues, and I think with so many leadership changes, people are fearful about what the future means."
