Three months after the shocking arrest of Melissa Gilbert’s famous husband, actor Timothy Busfield, the Hallmark star and “Little House on the Prairie” alum says their life together has been turned upside down, calling the whole ordeal “traumatizing.”
On April 2, 2026, a preview was released of Gilbert’s upcoming “Good Morning America” interview with George Stephenopolous, in which she continued to defend Busfield, 68, against allegations of inappropriately touching two child actors. The accusations were made by the parents of two boys who appeared “The Cleaning Lady,” a FOX series Busfield directed, per People.
Melissa Gilbert Says She’s Been Through ‘Hell’ Amid Allegations Against Timothy Busfield
In early January, a warrant for Busfield’s arrest was issued by police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where “The Cleaning Lady” was filmed, according to ABC News. The “West Wing” alum turned himself in on January 13, denying allegations of sexual misconduct, and was later indicted on four counts by a grand jury and released from jail pending trial, per the LA Times.
In the sneak peek of Monday’s GMA interview, Stephenopolous is seen asking Gilbert, 61, what the “whole episode” has been like for her and Busfield, whom she married in 2013.
Gilbert, who has been on the last two seasons of Hallmark’s hit series “When Calls The Heart,” shakily replied, “Hell. This has been the most traumatizing experience of our lives.”
“Our life as we knew it is done,” she continued. “We are grieving what we had — all of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects.”
Melissa Gilbert Says Her Husband is ‘Last Person’ She’d Suspect of Hurting a Child
GettyIn Gilbert’s exchange with Stephenopolous, she expressed sadness about what the allegations and trial have done to Busfield’s reputation.
She said, “For Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled. Even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. [He’s] the last person in the world who would hurt a child. And believe me, if I thought for a second that Tim Busfield hurt a child, he’d have a lot more to worry about than prison.”
Gilbert sat down for the interview alongside Busfield’s lawyer, Larry Stein. A representative for the actress told People that she agreed to talk with Stephenopolous because she “decided it was time to sit down to clarify the facts of the case, which seem to have become lost to distraction, selective information and click bait.”
Court documents show Busfield pleaded not guilty to allegations stemming from October 2022 and September 2023, when he was directing episodes featuring the two unidentified boys, according to People.
When the allegations first came to light, Warner Bros. launched an investigation and found no wrongdoing, attorney Christina McGovern told TMZ, explaining, “I conducted an independent and thorough investigation of all allegations known to the Studio at the time. Warner Bros. gave me full discretion as to my investigation. Based on what was alleged, and all evidence gathered, including multiple witness statements, I found no corroborating evidence that Mr. Busfield engaged in inappropriate conduct or that he was ever alone with the twins on set.”
A trial date for Busfield has been set for May 2027, according to People. Gilbert’s full interview will air on GMA on April 6.
