Hunter McGrady Hyping Up Gayle King’s Surprise SI Swimsuit Cover Was a Highlight of Our Year

The award-winning journalist landed on the front of the 60th anniversary issue after her photo shoot in Mexico.

Kate Upton, Gayle King and Hunter McGrady / CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

The end of 2024 is near, and we’re taking the opportunity to look back at all of the moments that made SI Swimsuit so special during our 60th anniversary year. In case you missed it, take a look at SI Swimsuit Wrapped, which summarizes 31 unforgettable moments that took place this year. Before we set our intentions for 2025, we’re throwing it back to the last 365 days and highlighting several special SI Swimsuit moments (in no particular order), including Gayle King’s surprise cover reveal on live television.

When she traveled to Mexico to pose for the 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue, Gayle King never imagined she’d land on the cover of the 60th anniversary magazine. In fact, the award-winning journalist often quipped that she thought the initial offer to pose for the brand was a joke.

“I really did think I was being Punk’d,” she stated on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “When Sports Illustrated Swimsuit called me, no joke, I thought ‘O.K., so what are you saying?’ They said, ‘We’re doing something about legacy. We’re doing something about legends, about women who are at the top of their game who are still working really hard, [who are] crushing it and who still really have this zest for life.’”

So, when brand legends Kate Upton and Hunter McGrady presented the media mogul with her SI Swimsuit magazine cover live on CBS Mornings in May, King could not contain her excitement.

“They told me I was just going to be on the inside!” King squealed. “It’s not a dummy cover? This is gonna be on the newsstand?” she then questioned as Upton handed over the print copy.

King, 69, then took a moment to soak in the news on air alongside cohosts Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil, and McGrady piped in from her seat to hype the TV personality up.

“But you know, it goes to say like sexy isn’t an age, sexy isn’t a size, like look how beautiful you look,” McGrady gushed. “That’s so inspiring to women of all ages. Like, yes girl, you did that.”

One of our favorite things here at SI Swimsuit is seeing ambitious women support other pioneering women, and this sweet moment is certainly one of our favorites of the year. Stay tuned as we continue to reminisce on more happenings from our SI Swimsuit Wrapped list in the coming weeks!

SI Swimsuit Wrapped: 31 Unforgettable Moments of 2024. light. Next. SI Swimsuit Wrapped