Gayle King Reflects on Exciting SI Swimsuit Issue Cover Girl Moment: ‘69 and Feeling Really Fine’

The award-winning journalist posed for the 2024 magazine in Mexico.

Gayle King was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

It comes as no surprise that Gayle King is still getting compliments on her 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue cover. The 69-year-old journalist and CBS Mornings cohost posed for this year’s 60th anniversary magazine in Mexico, where she was photographed by Yu Tsai for her solo cover girl moment. King also participated in a group feature in Hollywood, Fla., this year alongside 26 other brand stalwarts.

The three-time Emmy Award winner recently caught up with People, and noted that to this day, she’s still receiving plenty of feedback from women on the feature.

“I’ve had so many women come up to me and say, that was so brave,” she told the outlet. “Was it brave? I was just excited. That’s what it was for me. To show you that it’s 69 and feeling really fine.”

Gayle King was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico. Swimsuit by EVARAE. Coverup EVARAE. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

King has often quipped that when she was asked to pose for this year’s magazine, she thought she was being Punk’d. However, her confidence was palpable on set in Mexico.

“I never in a million years thought I would be standing here in a bathing suit for Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit], but here I am, which says to me that sometimes people can dream, God can dream, the universe can dream a bigger dream than you can ever think for yourself,” she told us while on location. “I would have never thought this was possible. This was nowhere on my bucket list. So I’m thinking maybe it was a dream that I didn’t even know I wanted because now that I’m here, I want it bad.”