Gayle King.Photo:CBS News

CBS Mornings Gayle King celebrates her 12th year anniversary at CBS News.

CBS News

Gayle Kingwas once again back in her signature yellow dress onCBS MorningsTuesday, this time to mark her 12-year anniversary as co-anchor of the morning news program.

As longtime viewers know, the broadcast journalist wore the color block sleeveless frock for her very first episode on Jan. 9, 2012. In the years since, shehas donned the same dress every Jan. 9tocelebrate the special occasion.

“I knew I wanted to wear yellow on my first day because it’s my favorite color,” King, 69, recalled on Tuesday. “And I said, ‘I’m going to wait and see if I’m still here and then I’m going to wear it again.’ 12 years later, here we are! Still psyched to be sitting here.”

She was showered with yellow cupcakes (“My favorite thing, I like anything with icing!") and love from her fellow co-host, including Tony Dokoupil, Nate Burleson and Vladimir Duthiers.

“I thought it was 11 years, but [senior producer Shawna Thomas] told me I’ve been here 12 years,” King joked. “Still happy to be here, too.”

King was also surprised with a video package with best wishes from a slew of her former interview subjects, includingSerena Williams,Billy Crystal,Barbra Streisand,Robert De Niro,Ed Sheeran,Sebastian ManiscalcoandCharles and Cassie Kelly.

“When we start our day off with you, we know it’s starting off right,” saidAngela Bassett.

Oprah Winfrey, King’s longtime best friend and a frequent guest onCBS Mornings, was a part of the clip compilation, too.

“From the moment you said yes to doingCBS Mornings, I knew that it would be you meeting the rising of your life, because nobody loves news and culture more than you do,” saidOprah, filming her remarks on the drive to Sunday’s Golden Globes (which King also attended). “And I remember that phone call you got the night before. And I knew then that spectacular things were ahead.”

“You have met the rising, and still you rise,” Oprah gushed. “Congratulations, my friend.”

Gayle King through the years.CBS News

CBS Mornings Gayle King celebrates her 12th year anniversary at CBS News

“I wasn’t sure because at the time I was working at OWN and OWN was going through a thing and I thought if I left they would say, ‘Oh, even her best friend is abandoning ship,’ " King remembered. “And I didn’t want that headline. I didn’t. I did not want that headline.”

Oprah encouraged her close pal, though. “She said, ‘If they offer it to you, you should take it,’ " King shared.

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The day and the support she received, King also noted on Tuesday’s show, is “just a reminder how blessed and how grateful I am that we get to do this every morning.”

CBS Morningsairs weekdays on CBS (beginning at 7 a.m. ET).

source: people.com