CNN ends Charles Barkley and Gayle King show 'King Charles'

Former NBA star Charles Barkley and CBS reporter Gayle King are finished with their short-lived CNN program “King Charles” after six months of shows.

“‘King Charles’ has come to the end of its limited run, as we announced when it launched last fall, and was a great addition to CNN’s lineup, with the youngest, most affluent, and most diverse P2+ audience in its cable news time period,” CNN confirmed Monday.

A “P2+ audience” refers to viewers who are not infants or toddlers. The network boasted the program attracted “the most diverse audience (44% non-White) of CNN’s regular prime programming,” since launching Nov. 29.

King told viewers last week she and Barkley would no longer be a team.

“We have to say this is the last show of our limited series,” she said.

When their show started, the unconventional pairing promised “freewheeling and authentic conversations centered around the week’s most interesting stories, moments and cultural themes.”

“It flew by,” Barkley said Wednesday on the program’s final episode. “I just want to thank everybody.”

“King Charles” struggled overall to attract viewers in its prime time spot. The show’s premiere marked CNN’s lowest-rated prime time weeknight series debut in at least a decade, according to the Daily Beast.

But a CNN representative told the Daily News “The show ran its full run and we’re happy with it. It brought in a lot of new (particularly diverse) audiences to CNN.”

King claimed on the final episode of “King Charles” she and Barkley will likely team-up elsewhere at some point.

“Something tells me, Charles, this will not be the last time — just saying — that we’ll work together,” she said.

Barkley replied “Call me, Gayle.”

King remains a host on “CBS Mornings” and is the editor-at-large for Oprah Daily. Barkley will continue working as a basketball analyst for TNT, where he signed a 10-year contract in 2022. TNT and CNN are both Warner Bros. Discovery properties.

“We will see you whenever the next time we see you,” Were King’s last words to “King Charles” viewers. Thanks so much for being with us for the past 6 months. We had a blast.”

———