William Bumpus Breaks Silence on Affair That Ended Marriage to Gayle King After Her Shocking Confession

Gayle King recently opened up about a very painful time in her life, which has prompted a response from her ex-husband, William Bumpus.

During her appearance on the May 27 episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast with Alex Cooper, King recalled the moment in 1990 when she got home after a flight to find that Bumpus was having an affair, with the woman actually in the couple's house at the time of the discovery.

And following the shocking confession, Bumpus spoke with TMZ, issuing a public apology to his wife as well as his children.

"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 began. "Those actions were mine. I have long owned them."

Bumpus added that Gayle has "every right to share what was a painful chapter that changed the trajectory of our marriage," saying the he "respects" her decision to speak out.

"What I will say is this: I remain endlessly grateful to Gayle. She gave me two of the greatest gifts of my life - our daughter Kirby and our son William," he continued. "It was Gayle who encouraged and supported me through getting my Yale Law degree. And it was Gayle who chose, with me, to co-parent successfully from the very beginning - a testament to our shared commitment to our children above all else, and now our grandchildren. The love and camaraderie we forged in that work have carried us all these years."

Bumpus said that the duo is in a good place now, expressing that he is "proud to have had a front-row seat to Gayle's remarkable success, and I remain a genuine admirer and fan."

The two ultimately divorced in 1993 after 11 years of marriage.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 7:51 AM.