CNN announces ‘King Charles’ show headlined by Gayle King, Charles Barkley

Is it a dog? Is it a monarch? No, it’s a new cable show.

CNN announced April 22, 2023, that it had signed deals with “CBS Mornings” co-anchor Gayle King and former pro basketball player Charles Barkley to co-host a weekly primetime show come the fall of 2023.

Details of the show were scarce, but the name was revealed as “King Charles,” an obvious attempt to combine King’s last name and Barkley’s first name into a not-so-subtle nod to King Charles III, the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom.

Charles III recently ascended to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. 

There’s also a breed of dog known as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which draws its etymology from the monarchy as well.

The name notably did not include a hyphen, slash or ampersand in the network’s initial announcement. Any one of these marks could have helped clarify that, while the show title is meant as a play on words, it’s not devoted to King Charles III.

CNN has not released a logo or key art for the show as of publication. 

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