William Bumpus, the ex-husband of television personality Gayle King, has publicly apologized for cheating on her nearly 40 years ago with a close friend of hers. The apology comes after King detailed the painful episode on a recent episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast.
In a statement, Bumpus said, "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. I have long owned them — including publicly in my own words in 2016, which still stand."
Bumpus acknowledged King's right to share her story, adding, "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."
He also expressed gratitude toward King, noting her support during his pursuit of a Yale Law degree and their successful co-parenting. "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."
Bumpus emphasized that their relationship remains amicable, revealing that King recently sent warm birthday wishes to his teenage daughter, Poet. He concluded, "I continue to work at being the best version of myself, grounded by the friendship, encouragement, and support of Gayle over the years ... That is where my focus remains — on my family, on my clients, and on the work ahead."
On the podcast, King recounted arriving home early from a trip to find her husband in a towel and discovering her close friend similarly dressed. She recalled Bumpus driving the friend to the airport, leaving her alone to process the betrayal.