King Charles, CNN‘s once-a-week talker featuring Gayle King and Charles Barkley, ended last week with no plans to extend the limited series.
The show averaged about a half-million viewers in its debut but trailed its rivals in its 10 p.m. ET time slot on Wednesdays. It was announced as a limited-run series to begin with, featuring two high-profile personalities in conversation about major events and cultural moments.
The show also was a signature feature of then-CEO Chris Licht’s plans to overhaul the network’s primetime lineup with big-name personalities hosting shows once or twice a week. Although that’s a bit unconventional for cable news, MSNBC has had success with Rachel Maddow’s show since it went to just Mondays in 2022, as she had signed a new contract for fewer days.
King Charles ultimately debuted after Licht had departed and a new CEO, Mark Thompson, had joined. He has made some programming changes, but has also emphasized the need for CNN to integrate linear TV and digital news units, and to boost its presence and innovation on smart phones and other mobile devices.
King continues as co-host of CBS Mornings, while Barkley has a deal as a sports analyst with Warner Bros. Discovery.
