Oprah Winfrey Down Bad Due To ‘Serious’ Stomach Flu, Gayle King Reveals

Gayle King didn't hold back when revealing the graphic details of the stomach flu Oprah Winfrey recently experienced.

Gayle King didn’t hold back when revealing the graphic details of the stomach flu Oprah Winfrey recently experienced.

The media mogul was set to appear on CBS Mornings on Tuesday, June 11, to speak with her best friend King and author David Wroblewski about his new book Familiaris, which is featured in her book club. However, Winfrey was noticeably absent during the live taping and King took it upon herself to let everyone know why.

“She had some kind of stomach thing, stomach flu,” she said, as captured by TMZ. “Stuff was coming out of both ends. I won’t get too graphic.”

Winfrey’s condition was so severe she ended up in the hospital and “had to get an IV” for dehydration. “It was a very serious thing,” King shared.

Reps for Winfrey confirmed her stomach flu and said she’s on the mend.

“Ms. Winfrey is recovering following a stomach virus and received an IV due to dehydration at the recommendation of her doctor,” a spokesperson told E! News. “She is resting and feeling better every day.”

The OWN founder was set to chat with Wroblewski about Familiaris, the prequel to 2008’s The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. But her health got the best of her.

CBS Mornings opted to pull the detailed reveal from its YouTube but TMZ had already captured the moment and shared it online. King says her best friend will be “okay” and seemingly had second thoughts about revealing so much about her health condition on national television.

“I hope she’s not mad at me for sharing the detail,” she told Wroblewski. “I wanted to make it clear, though, that it mattered to her and it really bothered her that she couldn’t be here for you today.”

Wroblewski might eventually get his moment with Winfrey considering his status as one of only a few authors to make her coveted book club twice. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle made the list in 2008.