Gayle King's Ex-Husband Gave Her A Cruel Ultimatum And She's Still 'Bitter' At Him

While Gayle King and her ex-husband, William Bumpus, got divorced decades ago in 1993, the TV personality still has some strong feelings about their past relationship, and with good reason. She revealed in a May 2026 interview that Bumpus reportedly forced her to make an emotional decision in their relationship that still affects her now. 

King opened up about her untold truth during an interview with the co-founder and CEO of the dog food company The Farmer's Dog, Jonathan Regev, for "CBS Mornings." The brand partnered with King's best friend, Oprah Winfrey, for a special miniseries called "Life is Better with Dogs," which led to the interview on the morning show. During the conversation, King told Regev, "I love that you are calling this series 'Life is Better with Dogs,' because my ex-husband didn't like dogs."

"As a matter of fact, I had to get rid of my dog — which should have been a clue. Shouldn't it have been a clue?" she said, joking that the situation should have been a red flag in the relationship. King added, "I'm still a little bitter!" Clearly, she's a lover of dogs. Throughout the interview, she praised the animals, saying of people's relationships with dogs, "They don't care what you do or how you do it, they just unconditionally love you."

During the "CBS Mornings" segment, Gayle King's guest co-host, CBS's Major Garrett, joked that it was serving as a "therapy session" for her. King's main co-host, Nate Burleson, went even further with his cheeky comment. He added that, based on the "stories" she's told about her ex-husband, "I was going to say, 'He is the dog,' But I don't want to do that." The guest of the day, Jonathan Regev, managed to save the exchange a bit, noting the comparison to a dog "could be a compliment," before they moved on. 

Despite the complicated feelings King might have for her ex-husband, William Bumpus, the two had some good come out of their relationship, starting with their two children. Married from 1982 to 1993, the former couple share a son named William Bumpus Jr. and a daughter named Kirby Bumpus. The two are quite successful and often come out with King to support her at events. As for King and Bumpus' current relationship, they seem like supportive exes and successful co-parents. 

In 2016, years after their divorce, Bumpus released a public apology to King for cheating on her during their marriage. "I publicly apologize for the major transgression that dramatically changed all of our lives," he said in a statement to Page Six. He then praised King, calling her "a great wife, an excellent mother and a fantastic co-parent." Bumpus added, "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."