Charles Barkley’s CNN Show in Trouble? Latest Evidence Paints Dark Picture for ‘King Charles’ With Gayle King

The fortunes of Charles Barkley‘s ‘Inside the NBA’ and ‘King Charles’ shows are quite contrasting. While his long run with the NBA on TNT continues to get some promising viewership, his latest reality attempt with Gayle King is slowly losing its hype week after week. After its premiere on November 29, the metrics of the poor viewership were revealed which Barkley was pissed about. The Philadelphia 76ers legend gave assurance in several interviews, but it looks like ‘King Charles’ is heading down the dark path once again. 

In the latest numbers released by Nielsen, Barkley’s episode with Gayle King on Wednesday recorded only 402,000 viewers. Out of this, only 89,000 viewers were of the age group of 25-54, which is considered the most important demographic for a show. This was the first time the show failed to get 100,000 viewers for this demographic.

Other shows that aired at the same time as King Charles on Wednesday night received better ratings than the CNN show. What’s even more concerning is that the shows that starred on other channels were just repeats of famous sitcoms like, ‘Modern Family’, ‘Seinfeld’, ‘Friends’, etc. Even with no competition, ‘King Charles’ struggled to excel. 

The premier had an appreciable viewership of just above 500,000 viewers, which is great for an inaugural episode. However, the subsequent weeks revealed alarming numbers. Nielsen’s metrics showcased numbers around 300,000, which was very concerning for CNN. Channels like Fox News and MSNBC, who had shows in the same time slot, recorded a million viewers. 

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January 17 recorded the highest number of viewers for the show with 517,000, which is just 15,000 more viewers than the premiere. This garnered some positivity on ‘King Charles’, but we are back again at square one, and this time it’s more than just a warning. 

Is Charles Barkley taking ‘King Charles’ too lightly? 

For starters, the idea of the show might be a bit weak for the general audience. Barkley shared that the show revolves around “authentic conversations” between him and King on the most happening topics in the country. Although these two are some of the best when it comes to sharing great takes on viral topics, the idea of ‘King Charles’ might not be enough to garner a million viewers. 

Moreover, Barkley believes he is doing “CNN a favor” by agreeing to do this show. He also revealed that he is just “having fun with Gil”. While you might doubt he is not too serious, he still has not given up on it. He shared, “Anybody who knows anything about television knows that these things take time…It’s a young show and we’re really excited about its potential.” Let’s hope it doesn’t get too late. 

Read more: A Tricky Question Puts Charles Barkley in Awkward Position: “You’re Not Good Friends”

What are your thoughts? Is there a chance for redemption? Share your take in the comments below.