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Gayle King’s Podcast Recounting of 1990 Affair Prompts Ex‑Husband’s Renewed Apology

Her vivid description of walking in on William Bumpus led him to publicly reaffirm responsibility, stressing that they remain cordial co‑parents.

Overview

  • Gayle King offered a detailed account on the Call Her Daddy podcast released Wednesday of returning home in 1990 and finding her then‑husband with a close friend, a moment she said reshaped their marriage.
  • King described specific details from that night, including Bumpus emerging wrapped in a towel, the other woman hiding behind a door, the home alarm sounding, police arriving, and her pushing the nanny to keep their two young children away from the scene.
  • The couple tried counseling and briefly reconciled after the incident but divorced in 1993 after King says Bumpus cheated again, and Bumpus previously issued a public apology in 2016 for the affair.
  • On Thursday Bumpus issued a renewed statement to TMZ apologizing to King and their family, saying he owns the actions and noting that he and King now have a cordial relationship and co‑parent their adult children.
  • The episode has revived public discussion about how private marital crises intersect with public lives, highlighted Oprah Winfrey’s role as a confidante in King’s telling, and underscored long‑term family consequences for the people involved.