Oprah Winfrey was absent from her scheduled book club segment on Tuesday’s (June 11) episode of CBS Mornings, with the show’s co-host Gayle King revealing the media mogul had a stomach virus.
“She had some kind of stomach thing – stomach flu – stuff was coming out of both ends,” King told the viewers regarding the reason for Winfrey’s absence. “I won’t get too graphic. Needless to say, she ended up in the hospital, dehydration, had to get an IV. It was a very serious thing.”
However, King started to worry that she might have upset her best friend by revealing those personal details. “She will be okay. I hope she’s not mad at me for sharing that detail,” the long-time host said. “But I wanted to make it clear, though, that it mattered to her and that it really bothered her that she couldn’t be here for you today.”
Later in the day, King took to her Instagram page to clear up the issue, sharing a video call with Winfrey.
“She was sidelined with a stomach virus that caused such dehydration that she went to the hospital to get an IV drip,” King wrote in the caption of the post. “I thought I made that clear but next thing I know I’m surprised to see headlines that scream “Oprah’s hospitalized!” (She was NOT!) And I’m bombarded with calls asking if Oprah is okay. The answer is yes! And now let’s go straight to the source.”
At one point during the call, King asked Winfrey if she’d “offended” her by what she said on CBS Mornings.
“No,” Winfrey replied. “I thought what you were trying to do is explain why I wasn’t there, and doing that in a definitive way.”
The A Wrinkle in Time actress continued, “I was in the emergency room. I was so dehydrated. I couldn’t keep enough water down to get hydrated, so I went to the emergency room for that and that’s just it.”
King followed up, saying, “The only point I was trying to make is to show how badly you wanted to be there to promote the book ’cause you never miss those. The point I was trying to make, America, is that it had to be something that would keep her from getting on a plane and coming. That’s the only point I was trying to make.”
She then told her long-time friend, “I didn’t really think that it was a big deal or that it would be something that would be upsetting to you, otherwise I never would have said it.”
Winfrey agreed, saying, “Yeah, I know you wouldn’t have done that,” before joking, “Everyone that I’ve ever known and has access to my email has called me to say, “Are you alright?” Thanks!”
CBS Mornings, Weekdays, 7am/6 c, CBS