CBS News has made it official, confirming that CBS This Morning co-host Bianna Golodryga will be leaving the network.
“Bianna Golodryga has decided to leave the network,” a CBS News spokesperson said in a statement. “We thank her for her many contributions during her time here at CBS News and wish her the very best in her future endeavors.”
PREVIOUS TUESDAY 10 AM: Bianna Golodryg will be exiting CBS after a six-month stint as co-host of the network’s CBS This Morning program, a source close to the now Susan Zirinsky-run CBS News confirmed to Deadline.
This latest game of morning show chairs comes as Gayle King nears inking a new multi-year deal with CBS News. As Deadline reported last month, while King will remain the main anchor of CBS This Morning, she may get a new set of co-hosts. In addition to Golodryg’s pending exit, current co-hosts Norah O’Donnell and John Dickerson have long been rumored for other possible gigs within CBS News, CBS Evening News, whose current anchor Jeff Glor had been under pressure amid ratings declines, and 60 Minutes, respectively.
According to HuffPost, which first reported on Golodryga’s likely exit, Zirinsky “felt that the show had too many anchors” and had hoped to keep the well known journalist at CBS but Golodryga plans to exercise her contract option to leave the network if taken off CBS This Morning. Golodryga is expected to continue in her role as CNN contributor.
“We’re declining to comment on this as we have with other stories,” a CBS News spokesperson said of Golodryga’s rumored departure.
After a couple of years of ratings gains, CBS This Morning has struggled following the ouster of co-host Charlie Rose over sexual harassment allegations. The program recently scored a major coup with a headline making King interview with R. Kelly.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Deadline