Attorney William Bumpus has issued a public apology to his ex-wife, broadcast journalist Gayle King, nearly four decades after an extramarital affair ended their marriage. The 70-year-old attorney released a statement on Thursday, May 27, expressing remorse for actions that occurred in 1990.
"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," Bumpus told TMZ in his statement. "I have long owned [my actions] — including publicly in my own words in 2016, which still stand."
The apology follows King's appearance on Wednesday's "Call Her Daddy" podcast episode, where the 71-year-old television personality shared detailed accounts of discovering her then-husband's infidelity with one of her close friends. King described returning home unexpectedly in June 1990 after a canceled flight, only to find Bumpus attempting to prevent her from entering their residence.
During her conversation with podcast host Alex Cooper, King recounted the confrontation. "I didn't believe him," she recalled. "I get down and there they are — or there she is cowering behind the door in my towel. It was a nice bath sheet." King explained that she maintained composure during the discovery to protect their young children from witnessing a traumatic scene.
In his statement, Bumpus acknowledged King's right to share her perspective on the painful chapter. "Gayle has every right to share what was a painful chapter that changed the trajectory of our marriage and our family nearly 40 years ago," he stated. "I respect her right to tell her story, and that's where I'll leave it."
The attorney emphasized gratitude for his former wife's role in his life and their successful coparenting relationship following their 1993 divorce. "She gave me two of the greatest gifts of my life — our daughter Kirby and our son William. It was Gayle who encouraged and supported me through getting my Yale Law degree," Bumpus recalled. "And it was Gayle who chose, with me, to co-parent successfully from the very beginning — a testament to our shared commitment to our children above all else, and now our grandchildren."
Bumpus described his relationship with King today as being "in a good place" nearly four decades after their separation. He acknowledged that during their marriage, he struggled with King's public profile, preferring a more private life. "As a private person by nature, I will admit that during our marriage I did not fully appreciate Gayle's public life — I wanted ours to be more private, and that was something I wrestled with, and no reflection on her true talent and abilities," he stated.
The couple attempted to salvage their marriage following the affair, but ultimately divorced three years later. King admitted during her podcast interview that she had been unaware of any serious marital problems before the discovery. "I was happy," King confessed. "You know how they say the wife always knows? I swear to God I did not. I did not."
This marks the second time Bumpus has publicly addressed the infidelity. In 2016, he told Page Six that he remained "haunted with this life-altering choice," stating, "Though I have dealt with this privately … I publicly apologize for the major transgression that dramatically changed all of our lives."
Bumpus concluded his recent statement by emphasizing his current priorities. "I continue to work at being the best version of myself, grounded by the friendship, encouragement, and support of Gayle over the years, by the love of our grown children and our grandchildren, and by the daily privilege of raising Poet as a single dad," he said, referring to his 16-year-old daughter from another relationship. "That is where my focus remains — on my family, on my clients, and on the work ahead."
