Gayle King Shares Explicit Details from Catching Her Husband Cheating with Her Friend

In a candid interview on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, renowned journalist Gayle King recounted the moment she discovered her ex-husband, William Bumpus, in a compromising situation with one of her friends. The revelation came as King spoke to host Alex Cooper on May 27, sharing the harrowing details of her unexpected return home from a cancelled flight with her children.

The 71-year-old CBS Mornings anchor explained that the incident occurred when she arrived home to find the house alarm activated, a situation that raised her suspicions. “He comes flying out of the room. He’s got a towel on and he goes, ‘You can’t come in,’” King recalled, expressing her disbelief at his response. Faced with confusion, she decided to seek out answers, telling Cooper, “I start searching the house because I didn’t believe him.”

Despite her doubts, King said she was ultimately confronted with the shocking sight of her friend hiding behind the door in a towel, a discovery that left her feeling betrayed. “I can’t believe that you are here and you are doing this,” she stated, reflecting on how she had regarded the woman as a friend. King acknowledged the emotional turmoil, admitting, “I sounded so pitiful.”

Fortunately, thanks to foresight, King had instructed her nanny to take the children away from the chaos, thus shielding them from the scene of the betrayal. Nonetheless, the unexpected alarm triggered a swift response from local police, who arrived at her home. “The police came, and they said, ‘Hey, oh my God, it’s Gayle King!’” she recounted, adding that the officers asked for autographs once they confirmed her wellbeing. The surreal nature of the moment was not lost on King, who humorously noted her desire to ask them to take out the trash.

During the tumultuous events, King expressed her deep concern about maintaining the children’s innocence. “I kept thinking, I don’t want it to be a scene because they’re little. They know this person,” she reflected on the impact the discovery could have on them. As the initial shock settled, her first instinct was to reach out for support from close friend Oprah Winfrey. King recounted Winfrey’s insightful response, “Oh, girl, you don’t even know how bad this is.”

In a twist of irony, Bumpus had urged King not to inform the other man’s spouse about the affair, citing the stability of their “good marriage.” However, with Winfrey’s encouragement, King made the difficult decision to contact him. The conversation revealed the manipulation in play, as she was met with disbelief and gaslighting. “He said to me, ‘You are delusional and out of touch with reality and I suggest you get some help,’” she recalled, illustrating the psychological dynamics at work in this painful chapter of her life.

Despite the anger and betrayal, King embarked on a journey of counselling with her ex in the hope of salvaging their relationship. However, the process made her realise that things had not genuinely changed. “I realized he hadn’t really changed, but I was turning into such a shrew,” she argued, revealing how the stress affected her behaviour. This period of mistrust ultimately led to King deciding to end the marriage for good in 1993. “I didn’t like who I was. Who wants to live like that?” she concluded, reflecting on her decision to prioritise her emotional wellbeing.

Now, King navigates co-parenting with Bumpus, with whom she shares two children: daughter Kirby Bumpus, aged 40, and son William Bumpus Jr., aged 39. Describing their relationship today, she maintained, “The kids love their dad. The dad loves the kids, so you’ve got to figure out a way to navigate it.”

While there has been no response from Bumpus regarding King’s recent interview, it is worth noting that he publicly admitted to infidelity in 2016, expressing regret for the choices that altered their lives. King’s willingness to share her experience reflects not only her journey through personal anguish but also the resilience it takes to move forward, emphasising the importance of prioritising oneself and one’s family amidst heartache.