Gayle King's Painful Affair Shock — Morning Host Recalls Brutal Moment She Caught Her Husband Cheating With Her Best Friend
Gayle King detailed the heartbreaking affair discovery on 'Call Her Daddy.'
May 27 2026, Published 1:20 p.m. ET
Gayle King has laid bare one of the most humiliating moments of her life, recalling the instant she discovered her now-ex-husband cheating with one of her closest friends, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
During a candid appearance on Alex Cooper's podcast, Call Her Daddy, the veteran TV personality revealed she unexpectedly came home early after a canceled flight and immediately sensed something was off.
The Affair Discovery
King claimed she caught her ex-husband cheating after returning home unexpectedly.
King said she arrived home with her children only to realize the house alarm had been triggered despite her then-husband, William Bumpus, supposedly being alone.
"He comes flying out of the room. He's got a towel on, and he goes, 'You can't come in,'" King recalled.
Confused, she pushed past him and began searching the home herself.
"I get down, and there she is, cowering behind the door in my towel, Alex. It was a nice bath sheet," King said, revealing she found one of her friends hiding inside the home.
The longtime broadcaster admitted the betrayal left her devastated, especially because she trusted the woman deeply.
"I said, 'I can't believe that you are here and you are doing this,'" she shared. "I even said, 'I thought we were friends.' I sounded so pitiful."
The CBS Mornings host revealed her close friend was hiding inside the house.
Police Arrived Amid the Chaos
Police reportedly arrived at the home after the alarm was triggered.
The shocking discovery quickly spiraled into an even more chaotic scene when authorities arrived after the home alarm was activated.
King said officers recognized her immediately and even asked for autographs after confirming everything was under control.
"The police came, and they said, 'Hey, oh my God, it's Gayle King!'" she recalled.
Despite the humiliation, King said her biggest concern was protecting her children from the explosive situation.
"I kept thinking, I don't want it to be a scene because they're little. They know this person," she explained, revealing the woman was so close to the family that the children referred to her as "aunt."
Oprah Winfrey was the first person King called after the shocking betrayal.
King said the first person she called afterward was her best friend, Oprah Winfrey, who immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.
"Oh, girl, you don't even know how bad this is," Winfrey reportedly told her.
King also contacted the other woman's husband, only to be accused of imagining the affair entirely.
"He said to me, 'You are delusional and out of touch with reality, and I suggest you get some help,'" King recalled.
Her response was blistering.
"Does your wife have a pink satin pajama top? Does she have some green mint panties that go with that? And oh, by the way, Richard, there are s**** stains in my bed," she said.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Why Gayle King Finally Walked Away
King admitted the ordeal changed how she viewed herself and her marriage.
Although King and Bumpus briefly reconciled and attended counseling together, she eventually realized the trust had been permanently shattered.
"I realized he hadn't really changed," she admitted, revealing she became consumed by suspicion and anxiety during the marriage.
"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," she said.
King ultimately divorced Bumpus for good in 1993 after discovering more infidelity.
"I didn't like who I was," she said. "Who wants to live like that?"
