Gayle King’s Ex-Husband Apologizes After News Anchor Reveals His Cheating Past

William Bumpus, the ex-husband of Gayle King, has publicly apologized after King spoke again about discovering him cheating during their marriage. In a statement shared with Page Six, Bumpus said he was sorry to King, their two children, and their grandchildren for the pain caused by his actions decades ago. He acknowledged that the betrayal was his own responsibility and said King had every right to tell her story about a painful period that changed their family’s life nearly 40 years ago.

Bumpus, an attorney, said he remains grateful to King for their children, daughter Kirby and son William, and credited her with supporting him during his Yale Law studies. He also said the former couple chose from the beginning to prioritize co-parenting after their divorce, which he described as a shared commitment to their children and now their grandchildren. Bumpus added that he is happy they remain on good terms and noted that King recently sent warm birthday wishes to his daughter Poet, which he said meant a great deal to him.

He described himself as a private person and said he did not fully understand the demands of King’s public life while they were married, but stressed that this was not a reflection of her talent or success. He called himself a longtime admirer of King and said he has had a front-row seat to her achievements over the years. Bumpus also said he continues to work on becoming the best version of himself, supported by his friendship with King, their grown children, their grandchildren, and the experience of raising Poet as a single father.

King discussed the cheating incident during an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, released Wednesday. She said she came home and caught Bumpus with a close friend, describing the moment as deeply painful and embarrassing. King recalled confronting the woman, telling her she thought they were friends. She also said the situation became even more chaotic because the house alarm went off, and police arrived. According to King, the officers recognized her and later asked for her autograph, which helped her quietly get them to leave without realizing what had happened.

This was not the first time King discussed the episode publicly. She first shared the story in 2016, and Bumpus apologized then as well. In the latest exchange, his new statement focused on accountability, regret, and respect for King’s decision to speak openly about a chapter that affected their marriage and family for years.