Gail King spoke about her divorce from William Bumpus and infidelity
27 may 2026 в 20:37
Gail King became well-known as the co-host of CBS Mornings and was married to her ex-husband William Bumpus for 11 years, from the 1980s to the 1990s. The couple has two children. Although Gail usually prefers not to discuss her personal life, she spoke about her marriage to William and its breakdown in an interview for «Call Her Daddy» in May 2026.
For those who are unaware of her ex-husband's infidelity, the television host learned of his cheating when he was unfaithful with one of her friends. Gail recalled the moment she discovered the affair: she came home early and found William in a towel while her friend was trying to hide from her.
Here’s what you need to know about Gail and William’s marriage.
Gail and William, a lawyer, got married in 1982. Oprah Winfrey once shared why she didn’t think the marriage would last. «It didn’t seem joyful», - she said in a 2006 interview for her magazine O, The Oprah Magazine. «You know how at weddings everyone is full of joy? There are weddings where you are full of hope for the couple. And you feel that there’s something special between them. I didn’t feel that at your wedding. It seemed quite sad».
Oprah didn’t want to tell Gail about her feelings at the time. In a joint interview, Gail said she «still wouldn’t have believed» her.
During their marriage, Gail and William became parents—they welcomed their daughter Kirby in May 1986 and son William Bumpus Jr. in April 1987. Both are now adults, and Kirby made the former couple grandparents when she gave birth to a son, Luca, in September 2021 with her husband Virgil Miller.
In August 2016, Gail opened up in an interview with Vanity Fair about the alleged infidelity that undermined their marriage. When asked who she «hates» the most, she replied, «‘Hate' is a strong word. I’m not a fan of the woman I caught naked with my now ex-husband on June 24, 1990, at 9:16 PM—but I don’t remember the details», - she joked.
In 2006, she shared her thoughts on the alleged incident again, this time with Will Smith during his appearance on her XM Satellite radio show. «I was married to a cheater», - she said then. «I went to couples counseling. I divorced in 1993, so I went through all of that and everything. I’m not angry. I’m fine. I’m really fine».
William, for his part, apologized. In 2016, after her comments in Vanity Fair, he released a statement addressing the issue. «I have been haunted by this life-altering choice», - the statement read for Entertainment Tonight. «While I have dealt with this privately, I publicly apologize for the serious breach that fundamentally changed our lives. I have only deep respect for Gail and how she has handled the situation with dignity. Despite this, she always put our children and my relationship with them first».
He also praised his ex-wife. «Gail was a great wife, a wonderful mother, and a fantastic co-parent», - the statement continued. «I am forever grateful for everything she has done and continues to do to enrich my life and the lives of our wonderful adult children. I continue to work on myself and have strived to be a better person and father for the past 26 years. I admire Gail’s ongoing phenomenal success and our friendship!»
Gail and William divorced in 1993
For those who are unaware of her ex-husband's infidelity, the television host learned of his cheating when he was unfaithful with one of her friends. Gail recalled the moment she discovered the affair: she came home early and found William in a towel while her friend was trying to hide from her.
Here’s what you need to know about Gail and William’s marriage.
Gail and William, a lawyer, got married in 1982. Oprah Winfrey once shared why she didn’t think the marriage would last. «It didn’t seem joyful», - she said in a 2006 interview for her magazine O, The Oprah Magazine. «You know how at weddings everyone is full of joy? There are weddings where you are full of hope for the couple. And you feel that there’s something special between them. I didn’t feel that at your wedding. It seemed quite sad».
Oprah didn’t want to tell Gail about her feelings at the time. In a joint interview, Gail said she «still wouldn’t have believed» her.
During their marriage, Gail and William became parents—they welcomed their daughter Kirby in May 1986 and son William Bumpus Jr. in April 1987. Both are now adults, and Kirby made the former couple grandparents when she gave birth to a son, Luca, in September 2021 with her husband Virgil Miller.
In August 2016, Gail opened up in an interview with Vanity Fair about the alleged infidelity that undermined their marriage. When asked who she «hates» the most, she replied, «‘Hate' is a strong word. I’m not a fan of the woman I caught naked with my now ex-husband on June 24, 1990, at 9:16 PM—but I don’t remember the details», - she joked.
In 2006, she shared her thoughts on the alleged incident again, this time with Will Smith during his appearance on her XM Satellite radio show. «I was married to a cheater», - she said then. «I went to couples counseling. I divorced in 1993, so I went through all of that and everything. I’m not angry. I’m fine. I’m really fine».
William, for his part, apologized. In 2016, after her comments in Vanity Fair, he released a statement addressing the issue. «I have been haunted by this life-altering choice», - the statement read for Entertainment Tonight. «While I have dealt with this privately, I publicly apologize for the serious breach that fundamentally changed our lives. I have only deep respect for Gail and how she has handled the situation with dignity. Despite this, she always put our children and my relationship with them first».
He also praised his ex-wife. «Gail was a great wife, a wonderful mother, and a fantastic co-parent», - the statement continued. «I am forever grateful for everything she has done and continues to do to enrich my life and the lives of our wonderful adult children. I continue to work on myself and have strived to be a better person and father for the past 26 years. I admire Gail’s ongoing phenomenal success and our friendship!»
Gail and William divorced in 1993
© Kolganov Andrey
