Norah O’Donnell named co-anchor of ‘CBS Mornings’

Norah O’Donnell is returning to “CBS Mornings,” joining Gayle King and Nate Burleson as a permanent co-host beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.

The move brings O’Donnell back to the network’s morning broadcast more than seven years after she left to anchor the “CBS Evening News.” O’Donnell co-hosted the program, then known as “CBS This Morning,” from 2012 to 2019, including seven years alongside King.

O’Donnell stepped down as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” in January 2025 but remained with CBS News as a senior correspondent, working on special projects, reporting for “60 Minutes,” and launching “Healthful,” a weekly podcast focused on women’s health.

Her addition fills the seat previously held by Tony Dokoupil, who moved from “CBS Mornings” to the “CBS Evening News.” The change also reunites O’Donnell and King.

CBS is also expected to place a greater emphasis on live conversations and political coverage heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

O’Donnell’s return comes as CBS works to strengthen the morning program amid audience declines. “CBS Mornings” has averaged about 1.7 million viewers this season through Aug. 30, 2026, down about 9% from the comparable period a year earlier. 

Bringing back O’Donnell could be seen as a way to bring some stability to the show. While “CBS This Morning” was more competitive than recent ratings show during O’Donnell’s tenure, it was never able to hold on to a second-place finish for a sustained amount of time. 

O’Donnell’s return to mornings could also remind viewers that she failed to build ratings momentum during her time at “Evening News.” 

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That means CBS is essentially betting that restoring two-thirds of a third-place team will have different results. That’s entirely possible, of course, given how the landscape has shifted since O’Donnell was last at the desk.

There’s no concrete way to tell how many O’Donnell fans stopped watching during her absence and if her return will be enough to bring them back, especially given the high-profile controversial journalistic moves the network has made since 2025. 

CBS News has largely been betting on the strategy of leaning more to the right in search of what it calls a broader perspective in its broadcasts — a move that has largely failed to garner ratings.

O’Donnell’s polished — if sometimes stiff — delivery could bring more of a traditional newscast feel that CBS feels will help draw in viewers. 

During her previous time on CBS’s morning airwaves, O’Donnell maintained her family home in the Washington, D.C., area, commuting to New York City to anchor the show.