The CBS Mornings host Gayle King recently opened up about one of the most painful moments of her life. During a candid conversation on the Call Her Daddy podcast, King detailed catching her ex-husband, William Bumpus, cheating on her with a close friend in 1990. Following the release of the episode, Bumpus has broken his silence to issue a public apology.
King, 71, was married to Bumpus, an attorney, for 11 years before they divorced in 1993. While the marriage ended over three decades ago, King’s recent retelling of the betrayal prompted Bumpus to speak out, acknowledging the pain he caused.
William Bumpus Issues a Public Statement
In a statement provided to TMZ on May 27, 2026, William Bumpus did not deny the incident. Instead, he offered a direct apology to King and their family.
“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. Those actions were mine.”
Bumpus, 70, acknowledged that King has the right to tell her story. He mentioned that he has previously addressed this chapter of his life in 2016 and that his regret still stands today. He added that he respects her decision to share her truth publicly.
The Shocking Discovery in 1990
During her podcast appearance, Gayle King recounted the specific details of the incident that ended her marriage. She explained that she came home early from a trip after her flight was canceled.
When she arrived at their house, she found her husband acting strangely. According to King, Bumpus came out of the bedroom wearing only a towel and tried to stop her from entering the room.
King told host Alex Cooper that she started searching the house because she did not believe his excuse that there was a problem. She eventually found the woman—whom she considered a family friend—hiding behind a door wearing one of King’s own towels.
“I said, ‘I can’t believe that you are here and that you are doing this. I thought we were friends!’” King recalled, noting that she felt her reaction sounded “pitiful” at the time.
Focusing on the Children and Co-Parenting
Despite the shock of the betrayal, Gayle King said her main priority was protecting her two young children, Kirby and William Jr., who were outside with their nanny. She told Cooper that she did not want the situation to turn into a scene because the kids were little.
In his apology, William Bumpus praised King for how she handled the divorce and the aftermath. He specifically thanked her for choosing to “co-parent successfully from the very beginning.”
“She gave me two of the greatest gifts of my life—our daughter Kirby and our son William. It was Gayle who encouraged and supported me through getting my Yale Law degree.”
Bumpus also admitted that during their marriage, he struggled with King’s public profile because he is a private person. However, he clarified that this was “no reflection on her true talent and abilities,” adding that he remains a fan of her work.
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Reactions and Moving Forward
The couple tried to repair their relationship for three years after the incident, but they eventually separated. Gayle King admitted on the podcast that she was happy in the marriage prior to the discovery and “swear to God” she did not see the affair coming.
Since the podcast aired, fans have praised King for her grace and honesty regarding the painful memory. Bumpus concluded his statement by noting that he and King “remain in a good place” today. He shared that King recently sent birthday wishes to his teenage daughter, Poet, which meant a lot to their family.
Bumpus says he continues to work on being the best version of himself, focusing on his family, his legal clients, and raising his daughter as a single dad.
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