Gayle King and her ex-husband William Bumpus have become entangled in a bit of a back-and-forth after the CBS anchor spoke out about the 1990 incident when she says she caught him cheating on her with a close friend. The latest is a response from King after her husband issued what sounded like a genuine apology.
Gayle King Reacts to Cheating Apology from Ex-Husband William Bumpus: ‘Surprised’
After Bumpus issued a heartfelt-sounding apology in a statement to TMZ, and when they asked for her response, this is what King had to say:
“What I was surprised is – I was surprised that you guys got it. That you found him. That’s number one.” She added that she’s also surprised “that he was even talking, cause he never talks. So I was surprised, but I can also say that I appreciated what he had to say.”
When asked whether Bumpus’ apology “held weight” for King, she explained, “Well I appreciated it, because listen. There was a very painful time. And I think – but people need to understand that anybody who’s been through it, anybody that’s been through it knows how painful it is. But I also know that you can go through it and get through it on the other side.”
She continued, “You know, this happened so long ago that we are both healed. We have both moved on. And the reason why I can talk about it so candidly, to be honest with you, is because it has been so much time that has passed.”
King also said she’s “in a really great place, and so he is.” She went on, “What has really gotten to me is the reaction from other women. That’s the thing that has touched me more than anything.”
The 71-year-old said she didn’t go into her “Call Her Daddy” podcast interview planning on discussing Bumpus. “I hadn’t intended to talk about that. Listen, I love Alex Cooper. She gets you in that little salmon-colored chair, you’re in your casual comfy clothes, after-school clothes. But it wasn’t something that was on the radar to talk about, but that’s the beauty of what she does. You end up – you’re talking.”
The broadcaster emphasized again, “What I’m really touched by is how it’s been resonating with other women. I want them to know it’s very big club, none of want to be in it, but the beauty is you go through it, you can come out on the other side and you can really be okay.”
King then joked she’s now singing the Raye song “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” that captures the feeling of anticipating a new man. The song contains the lyrics “Baby, where is my husband? What is takin’ him so long to find me?”
She laughed, “I’m not concentrating on where is he?” before humorously asking TMZ’s owner, “Where is he, Harvey?”
When asked whether she was actively dating, King replied, “Yes, so where is he? That’s the question.”
What Did Gayle King’s Ex-Husband Say About Cheating On Her?
Bumpus has publicly spoken out at least twice about his infamous cheating scandal involving Gayle King. The most recent was a statement he gave through his rep to TMZ which read, ““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.”
The statement was shared shortly after King relived the day she caught her close friend “naked” with Bumpus at the home she formerly shared with him and their two children.
King told Alex Cooper in the interview which aired on that she arrived home unexpectedly to find her friend “cowering behind the door in my towel.”
She said she responded by telling the woman, whom she did not name, “I can’t believe that you are here and that you are doing this.”
Bumpus’ initial apology, which he shared a decade ago with Page Six, was longer. It reads:
“I have been haunted with this life altering choice. Though I have dealt with this privately . . . I publicly apologize for the major transgression that dramatically changed all of our lives.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for Gayle and how she handled herself with grace. Despite the situation, she kept our children, as well as my relationship and involvement with them, as a clear priority. Gayle was a great wife, an excellent mother and a fantastic co-parent.
I am eternally grateful for all that she has done and continues to do to enrich my life and the lives of our incredible adult children. I continue to be a work in progress and have spent the last 26 years striving to be a better man and father. I applaud Gayle’s continued phenomenal success and friendship!”
