Recently, Oprah Winfrey’s spokesperson announced on Instagram that she would be appearing on CBS Mornings to announce her newest book club pick. Unfortunately, over the weekend, the popular host became ill with a stomach virus. Gayle King stepped in to explain why Winfrey was absent.
“Ms. Winfrey is recovering following a stomach virus and received an IV due to dehydration at the recommendation of her doctor,” a representative for Winfrey told CNN in a statement on Tuesday. “She is resting and feeling better every day.”
In a video call posted on Gayle King’s Instagram page, Winfrey told her best friend and journalist that she “couldn’t keep enough water down to keep her hydrated,” which led her to seek hospital treatment.
King told viewers that Winfrey will ultimately “be OK” following the health setback.
“[I hope] she’s not mad at me for sharing that detail,” she added.
In a joint interview for the New York Times in January, Winfrey and King enthusiastically praised each other and discussed the reasons behind their strong friendship.
“She is a blunt truth-teller. Even if you don’t want to hear it,” King said of Winfrey at the time. “[We] enjoy each other very, very much.”\
The video she posted on Instagram showed the media mogul running on the beach together with her pup and another woman. In the caption, she prized health as the best gift and thanked people who sent her birthday wishes.
