When Gayle King’s name trends online, it is often tied to her stellar career at CBS Mornings, her legendary friendship with Oprah Winfrey, or her historic 2025 Blue Origin spaceflight. But one story from her personal life continues to capture public attention decades later — the night she walked in on her husband, William Bumpus, in bed with a close friend. In May 2026, King revisited the painful memory once again, this time on the Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper, offering her most candid account yet. Here is everything you need to know about William Bumpus, the man at the center of one of Hollywood’s most talked-about betrayal stories.
Who Is William Bumpus?
William Bumpus was famously known as Gayle King’s husband from 1982 to 1993. He is also the father of her two children, Kirby and William Jr. While he has largely stayed out of the public eye, his connection to King has kept his name in the headlines for over three decades.
Born in the United Kingdom, Bumpus received his education at Rockhurst High School. He later studied marketing at Central Connecticut State University before attending Yale Law School. Before pursuing his law degree, Bumpus worked as a police officer. It was during this early chapter of his life that he met Gayle King, and the two began the relationship that would eventually lead to marriage.
Gayle divorced William, a Connecticut Assistant Attorney General, in 1993 after 11 years of marriage. The couple had built what appeared to be a stable life together — until one evening in the summer of 1990 shattered everything.
The Night Gayle King Caught William Bumpus Cheating
The story of how Gayle King discovered her husband’s infidelity has become one of the most discussed celebrity betrayal moments in recent memory. King found her now ex-husband, William Bumpus, getting intimate with a friend — while her 2- and 3-year-old children were home with their nanny.
In her May 2026 Call Her Daddy interview, King shared the full, raw account of that evening. She came home to discover a close friend in her bedroom wearing her bath towel after a work trip was canceled. The scene that unfolded was one she has never been able to forget.
As King herself once recalled in a Vanity Fair Proust Questionnaire, she remembers the moment with striking precision: she caught the woman naked with her now ex-husband on June 24, 1990, at 9:16 p.m. — and pointedly noted she did not remember the details, a sardonic remark that has since become one of her most quoted lines.
Oprah Winfrey, who was present in spirit throughout the fallout, reflected on how devastating such a betrayal can be: “It’s a terrible moment and anybody who has been betrayed that way, in your own home, knows how that destroys your spirit. How it shatters you.”
King’s first call that night was not to family — it was to Oprah. After discovering the betrayal, King initially considered not confronting her husband, but it took over two hours and Oprah urging her before she finally made the call.
The Double Betrayal — Her Husband and Her Friend
What made the discovery especially painful was that the other woman was not a stranger. King doesn’t hold back when recalling the life-turning moment she caught her ex-husband in bed with another woman who was allegedly her friend.
King reflected that even though both parties were undressed, leaving no room for alternative explanations, she had ignored warning signs leading up to that night. As Oprah noted, “If you ignore the whispers, you get a brick wall and a catastrophe.”
The double betrayal — by a husband and a supposed friend — left a lasting mark. In a special edition of “The OG Chronicles,” King and Oprah answered questions about friendship, and King was quick to say that it is hard to make new friends. Oprah pointed out that King’s wariness may stem from her past experiences with supposed friends.
Trying to Make It Work — and Failing
Despite the shocking discovery, King did not immediately file for divorce. The couple attempted reconciliation, but it did not last. They tried to work things out following the incident and got back together a few times before King realized he was cheating again. “I would be out in the garage feeling the hood of the car to see if it was warm. I was going through his phone, and I thought, ‘I don’t wanna live like this,'” King recalled.
The divorce was finalized in 1993, ending an eleven-year marriage. Telling her young children was its own ordeal. King admitted she could not bring herself to tell her children they were getting a divorce. She told them their father had gone to the other house because there was a burglar, and that Daddy was going to help catch the burglar. Three weeks later, her son asked whether Daddy had caught the burglar yet. Even Oprah, who had heard most of Gayle’s stories, was surprised — and called it the stupidest idea she had ever heard.
William Bumpus Issues a Public Apology
For years, Bumpus stayed silent while King periodically referenced the betrayal in interviews. That changed in 2016, when King’s sharp Vanity Fair comment reignited public conversation about the affair.
Through his representative, Bumpus released a statement saying: “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.” He added that he had nothing but the utmost respect for Gayle and how she handled herself with grace.
King and Bumpus share a daughter and a son together, Kirby and William Bumpus Jr. In the statement, Bumpus said: “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.” He continued: “I continue to be a work in progress and have spent the last 26 years striving to be a better man and father.”
How Gayle King Healed — And What She Says Now
Gayle King has been remarkably open about her healing journey. King told Will Smith in a radio interview, “I was married to a cheater. I went to marital counseling. I have been divorced since 1993, so I’m all healed and everything. I have worked it out. I’m not bitter. I’m OK. I’m really OK.”
Still, even healed wounds can leave impressions. In a May 2026 interview for CBS Mornings, King revealed that Bumpus had forced her to give up her dog during their marriage, saying “I had to get rid of my dog — which should have been a clue.” The remark, delivered with characteristic humor, underscored that while King has moved on emotionally, she has not forgotten the patterns that defined their relationship.
Where Is William Bumpus Today?
In 2026, William Bumpus is still working in the legal field. He continues his career quietly and stays focused on his responsibilities. He is also enjoying his role as a father and grandfather. Family seems to be a big part of his life now.
There is no confirmed information that William Bumpus has remarried. After his divorce from Gayle King, he has kept his personal life very private. He does not maintain an active social media presence and rarely gives interviews.
William Bumpus was born in 1954, making him around 72 years old as of 2026. His net worth is estimated to be around $1 million or more, earned through his long career as a lawyer working in important legal roles.
Gayle King’s Life After William Bumpus
While Bumpus has retreated from the spotlight, Gayle King has only grown in stature. She remains one of the most recognizable anchors in morning television. In April 2025, after her all-female Blue Origin spaceflight, King confided at the TIME 100 Gala that getting married still tops her bucket list — a reflection of optimism untethered from past wounds.
From 1982 to 1993, King was married to William Bumpus, an attorney and an assistant attorney general in Connecticut. On February 27, 2025, it was announced that King would be one of the passengers on a Blue Origin spaceflight — a milestone that signaled how far her life had soared beyond the pain of 1990.
King’s friendship with Oprah Winfrey, which was the bedrock she leaned on the night she caught Bumpus cheating, has only deepened over the decades. It remains one of the most enduring and admired friendships in entertainment.
Why the William Bumpus Story Continues to Resonate
The story of William Bumpus and Gayle King endures not just because of celebrity fascination, but because it speaks to something universally human — betrayal, resilience, and the long road to healing. King’s willingness to discuss it openly, with humor as much as pain, has made her a relatable figure to millions of people who have navigated the aftermath of infidelity.
Her journey from that devastating night in 1990 to the TIME 100 Gala, the Blue Origin spaceship, and the anchor desk at CBS Mornings is a testament to what life can look like on the other side of heartbreak.
Have you followed Gayle King’s story over the years? Drop your thoughts in the comments below — and don’t forget to bookmark this page for the latest updates.