Oprah Winfrey has been hospitalized with a stomach virus, her friend Gayle King revealed.
On June 11, the 70-year-old media mogul was notably absent from a scheduled appearance on CBS Mornings. Longtime friend and CBS host King revealed during the segment that Winfrey was unable to appear on the show due to a “serious” stomach issue.
“He had some kind of stomach problem, stomach flu, and things were coming out of both ends,” King said. “I'm not going to be too graphic. Needless to say, she ended up in the hospital, dehydrated, and had to be put on an IV. “It was something very serious.”
While King noted that Winfrey was going to “recover” from the stomach virus, she still needed time to rest.
“She will be alright. I hope she’s not mad at me for sharing that detail,” King added about her friend. “But I wanted to make it clear that she cared and that she was really upset that she couldn't be here for you today.”
In a statement shared with PeopleA spokesperson told the outlet that Winfrey is “recovering” after the stomach virus and “received an IV due to dehydration at the recommendation of her doctor.”
“She is resting and feels better every day,” they added.
Meanwhile, the official Instagram account of daily oprah praised King for announcing his hospitalization on Winfrey's behalf.
“@oprah was scheduled to appear on @cbsmornings today to announce her latest @oprahsbookclub selection. When she came down with a stomach bug over the weekend, @gayleking, being her best friend, offered to make the announcement for her,” the media company captioned a post. “We are happy to share that after receiving an IV due to dehydration at the recommendation of her doctor, Oprah is feeling much better. We wish her a speedy recovery.”
The Oscar-winning actor was set to appear in CBS Mornings to reveal your latest book club pick, familiaris, by author David Wroblewsk. Despite her hospitalization, Winfrey took the opportunity to promote the book on social media.
“Summer is here and I love settling in with a great book to take me through the season,” Winfrey captioned her Instagram post on Tuesday. “So today I'm delighted to announce that my next @oprahsbookclub pick is familiaris By @davidw4words!”
