Oprah Winfrey, the beloved media mogul and icon, recently found herself in the hospital at the age of 70. Her anticipated appearance to announce her book club selection on June 11 had to be missed due to her illness. The details of her condition were revealed by her close friend and CBS anchor, Gayle King, who was present during the broadcast of CBS Mornings.
King shared that Winfrey was suffering from a severe stomach virus that required medical attention. She explained, “Yesterday she said, ‘I’m going to rally, I’m going to rally.’ She had some kind of stomach thing where — stomach flu where stuff was coming out of both ends. I won’t get too graphic.” It was clear that Winfrey’s condition was serious enough for her to be hospitalized and receive intravenous fluids to treat dehydration.
However, King reassured viewers that Winfrey would ultimately be okay. She emphasized, “She will be OK. She will be OK. I hope she’s not mad at me for sharing that detail, but I wanted to make it clear that it mattered to her, and it bothered her that she couldn’t be here for you today.”
This unexpected health scare undoubtedly hindered Winfrey’s plans, but she remained dedicated to her followers. In an Instagram post, either by herself or a member of her team, she announced her book club pick: Familiaris by David Wroblewski.
Winfrey expressed her love for settling in with a big book that takes her through the summer season. The accompanying photo showed Winfrey in good spirits, holding the book with a full face of makeup and perfectly styled hair.
In addition to her successful career, Winfrey has been in a loving relationship with her partner, Stedman Graham, since 1986. Although they got engaged in 1992, they decided to call off the wedding a year later.
Stay tuned for updates on Winfrey’s recovery and the impact she continues to make with her influential book club selections.