Gayle King says she was in disbelief when asked to pose for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine at 69 years old.
“I honest to God thought I had been ‘Punk’d,’” King said of when she got the call from Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editor-in-Chief MJ Day, per the magazine.
“And when I called MJ back at Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit], I actually said, ‘Are you punking me?’ That was my initial reaction. I actually didn’t believe it,'” the CBS Mornings host added.
King said she was also surprised to find out that her swimsuit photo would be used for the cover of the 60th-anniversary edition of the magazine.
Fellow cover models Kate Upton and Hunter McGrady delivered the exciting revelation on Tuesday (May 14) during an interview on King's show.
“I’m on the cover?” King said as Upton unveiled a copy of the magazine. “They told me I was just going to be on the inside.”
The renowned journalist thanked her photographer, Yu Tsai, for guiding her during the shoot.
“I just never saw myself this way. I still don’t see myself this way. But when I look at that … I go, ‘I look damn good,'” King said.
King said the opportunity to pose for Swimsuit Illustrated Swimsuit reminded her of the importance of uplifting all women.
“I think it’s important to celebrate women of all ages, all colors, all sizes, you know why? Because that’s who we are as women people,” King told the magazine.
The 60th-anniversary edition of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit is set to be released on Friday (May 17).
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