Gayle King has hailed chatting to Olivia Newton-John as one of the highlights of her successful TV broadcast career.
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Well-loved CBS News anchor joins Dolly Parton, Sir Cliff Richard and more celebrities who exclusively with HELLO! pay tribute to the late Grease actress. In our Breast Cancer Awareness Month special, Gayle revealed the emotional reason why she will always treasure her meeting with Olivia.
She told HELLO!: "Olivia proceeded to use her life to help others. That was Olivia Newton-John, even when she was fighting the fight, she wanted to help others too. I consider it one of the great highlights of my broadcast career. I got to talk to her before she left us."
WATCH: Gayle King shares incredible video of Olivia Newton-John in her Grease pants
Olivia died aged 73 surrounded by those who were closest to her, 30 years after her initial breast cancer diagnosis. Gayle said: "When I got the news, it was like being punched in the gut."
Their paths crossed in 2019 when the actress was interviewed for CBS Sunday Morning at her ranch in California. Even after that day, Olivia continued to make an impression on Gayle with the most incredible gesture.
"What was so special, we exchanged numbers that night," Gayle said. "And she would just send me flowers, saying, 'I was in the garden, I saw this beautiful rose and I thought of you.' Just randomly!
© Photo: InstagramOlivia loved flowers and nature
"She would send pictures of beautiful flowers. I would say, 'You have no idea this is coming at the best time for me.' This is so beautiful. I mean, that's just how sweet and lovely she was. I couldn't get over it when she was so kind. I was told that wasn't unusual for her to do."
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They had hit it off on and off camera. Looking back, Gayle fondly remembered persuading Olivia to try on her iconic leather pants from Grease – 41 years after the movie. Of course, she looked amazing.
Gayle added: "Olivia tried on those iconic pants, she said, 'No, no I'm not going to. They probably don't fit.' I grovelled, I grovelled. She just wanted to shut me up! She was a really good sport about it. It was a great moment, on and off camera. But that was the beauty of Olivia."
Olivia being interviewed by Gayle in 2019. Copyright: CBS News
Keen to continue the fun that night, Gayle asked Olivia whether she had plans before she made a secret call to Oprah in the bathroom. "I was staying at Oprah’s, she lives in the same small community, I'm in the bathroom whispering to Oprah," she said.
"She knew I was at Olivia's, she knew I had the interview. I ask, 'Olivia doesn’t have dinner plans tonight, can she come over?' I said, I didn't say anything incase Oprah had other plans but I know with Oprah there is always food. 'Can she come over?' She goes, 'Yeah of course that’s fine.'"
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Their plan was almost scuppered because in that short time Olivia had begun making plans with some of her friends. But Gayle had an idea. She added: "I go back to Olivia and I say, 'I was just talking to Oprah and she says why don't you come over and join us for dinner tonight?'
"She said, 'Well I was just talking to a friend, Peter, I'm going to meet them for dinner.' I went 'Oh!' Then I go back to Oprah and I am whispering, 'Can the friends come too?' But it was great! They all came."
At the time, Olivia shared a beautiful picture of them all from their special night.
© Photo: InstagramOlivia joined Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King and friends
Looking back on it now, Gayle revealed it was a night to remember made up of great food and great conversation.
She said: "It was such a great evening. Olivia even posted about it later. But she doesn't know I was in the bathroom whispering to Oprah because I can’t just universally invite people to Oprah’s house for dinner.
"I didn't think she would mind, but I always ask first. We ended up with Olivia, Peter and his wife and it was a great, great night."
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