Gayle King’s personal life has suddenly returned to the spotlight after her ex-husband publicly responded to painful memories from their marriage that she recently revisited on a podcast.
The longtime television host opened up about the devastating moment she caught him cheating with a close family friend decades ago.
Now, William Bumpus is addressing the scandal himself, offering an emotional apology while admitting the affair permanently changed the course of their family and marriage.
William Bumpus broke his silence after Gayle King detailed the shocking moment she discovered his affair during an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.
King and Bumpus were married from 1982 until 1993 and share two children together, daughter Kirby and son William Jr. Although their marriage ended years ago, the painful betrayal resurfaced after the CBS personality publicly reflected on the experience.
Following the interview, Bumpus released a statement to TMZ apologizing to King and their family for the damage caused by his actions.
“My deepest apologies to Gayle, to our daughter Kirby and her husband, Virgil, to our son William and his wife, Elise, and to our three grandchildren, for the pain I caused decades ago,” he said.
Bumpus also acknowledged that the affair was entirely his responsibility.
“Those actions were mine. I have long owned them — including publicly in my own words in 2016, which still stand,” he added.
The attorney further admitted that King deserved the right to openly discuss the difficult chapter.
He added, “Gayle has every right to share what was a painful chapter that changed the trajectory of our marriage and our family nearly forty years ago. I respect her right to tell her story, and that’s where I’ll leave it.”
Gayle King’s Ex Reflects On Marriage Struggles
Beyond addressing the affair itself, Bumpus also opened up about the difficulties he experienced while married to someone living such a public life.
According to him, he struggled with balancing privacy and King’s growing media success during their relationship.
“As a private person by nature, I will admit that during our marriage I did not fully appreciate Gayle’s public life — I wanted ours to be more private, and that was something I wrestled with, and no reflection on her true talent and abilities,” he explained.
Despite their painful history, Bumpus spoke warmly about King’s accomplishments and support throughout his life.
He said, “I am proud to have had a front-row seat to Gayle’s remarkable success, and I remain a genuine admirer and fan.”
He also revealed that he still feels deeply thankful for the family they built together.
Bumpus said he remains “endlessly grateful to Gayle” for giving him “two of the greatest gifts of my life — our daughter Kirby and our son William.”
He additionally credited King for supporting his educational journey, revealing that she “encouraged and supported” him while he earned his Yale Law degree.
King And William Bumpus Remain Close Today
Although the affair destroyed their marriage decades ago, Bumpus insisted the two eventually found peace while raising their children together.
He praised Gayle King for helping them successfully co-parent from the very beginning following their divorce.
“The love and camaraderie we forged in that work have carried us all these years,” he said while discussing their parenting relationship.
Bumpus also shared that he and King are still on good terms today despite everything they endured together.
“She recently sent warm wishes to Poet, my teenage daughter, on her 16th birthday, which meant a great deal to us both,” he revealed.
The attorney concluded his statement by explaining that family remains his biggest priority now.
He said he continues working toward being “the best version” of himself while staying “grounded by the friendship, encouragement, and support of Gayle over the years, by the love of our grown children and our grandchildren, and by the daily privilege of raising Poet as a single dad.”
“That is where my focus remains — on my family, on my clients, and on the work ahead,” he added.
Gayle King Recalled Catching Husband With Family Friend
Bumpus’ statement arrived shortly after King stunned listeners by describing the exact moment she discovered the affair inside their home.
Speaking with Alex Cooper, King recalled returning unexpectedly from Washington, D.C., alongside her two young children before realizing something was terribly wrong.
As she approached the house, her husband suddenly rushed toward her, wearing only a towel.
“He comes flying out of the room and he’s got a towel on, and he goes, ‘You can’t come in,’” King remembered.
According to the television host, he warned her that another person was inside the home. At first, she believed there had to be some innocent explanation because she was so “oblivious.”
That quickly changed once she noticed his growing panic.
King said she searched the house herself before eventually discovering the woman “cowering behind the door” in her own towel.
The betrayal felt even more painful because the woman involved was someone King had considered a trusted family friend.
Oprah Winfrey’s Reaction Made The Situation Worse
Gayle King also revealed that she had long suspected her husband before catching him in the act.
During an earlier interaction, she overheard the woman compliment Bumpus on his tennis abilities, which immediately raised her concern.
The longtime broadcaster later confronted him about the uncomfortable moment, but she claimed he instantly denied that anything inappropriate was happening.
“What are you talking about?” he allegedly responded after she questioned him.
Still, King admitted she did not fully believe an affair was taking place until she physically witnessed the situation herself inside their home.
Afterward, she turned to one of her closest friends, Oprah Winfrey, for support while processing the emotional fallout.
According to King, Winfrey immediately understood the devastating reality of the situation and delivered a blunt response after hearing the story.
“You don’t even know how bad this is,” Winfrey told her.