Gayle King Says Her ExHusband Made Her Get Rid of Her Dog: ‘Should Have Been a Clue’ Rachel McRady, Dave QuinnFri, May 22, 2026 at 4:09 PM UTC 0 Gayle King attends the 'Celebrity Autobiography' opening night on May 18, 2026Credit: Lev Radin/Shutterstock Gayle King revealed she gave up her dog during her marriage because her exhusband disliked dogs King and William Bumpus divorced in 1993 after she caught him cheating three years earlier Bumpus publicly apologized in 2016 for his infidelity and praised King as a great coparent and mother Gayle King says she had to make a big sacrifice in her ma...
Gayle King Says Her Ex-Husband Made Her Get Rid of Her Dog: ‘Should Have Been a Clue’
Rachel McRady, Dave QuinnFri, May 22, 2026 at 4:09 PM UTC
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Gayle King attends the 'Celebrity Autobiography' opening night on May 18, 2026
Credit: Lev Radin/Shutterstock -
Gayle King revealed she gave up her dog during her marriage because her ex-husband disliked dogs
King and William Bumpus divorced in 1993 after she caught him cheating three years earlier
Bumpus publicly apologized in 2016 for his infidelity and praised King as a great co-parent and mother
Gayle King says she had to make a big sacrifice in her marriage to ex-husband William Bumpus.
The 71-year-old CBS Mornings co-host, who was married to Bumpus from 1982 to 1993, shared during a Friday, May 22, segment that she was forced to give up her dog because of Bumpus.
“I love that you are calling this series ‘Life is Better with Dogs,' because my ex-husband didn't like dogs,” King claimed. “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? Go ahead, speak on it! I'm still a little bitter!”
PEOPLE reached out to Bumpus for comment on King's claim.
During the segment, which was with Farmer's Dog co-founder Jonathan Regev, who recently partnered with King's bestie Oprah Winfrey and her new The Oprah Podcast, King opened up about how much she adores man's best friend.
“I love dogs so much. I know the love they can give you. It really is unconditional,” King said. “They don't care what you do or how you do it, they just unconditionally love you.”
Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King at Paris Fashion Week on March 5, 2026
Credit: Dave Benett/Getty
And King joked that she has a plan for her next life.
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“I always say when I go, I'd like to come back as one of Oprah's dogs,” she quipped of her longtime pal's beloved pets. “They look very happy. They live very well. Cashmere, private planes — sign me up!”
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King and Bumpus divorced in 1993 after King caught her ex in bed with another woman in 1990. The former couple share daughter Kirby Bumpus, 40, and William Bumpus Jr., 39.
Gayle King attends the Met Gala on May 4, 2026
Credit: Julian Hamilton/Getty
In 2016, Bumpus publicly apologized to King after her comments about the infidelity resurfaced from one of her interviews.
“I have been haunted with this life altering choice,” Bumpus told Page Six via a statement from rep Lisa Nkonoki at the time. “Though I have dealt with this privately… I publicly apologize for the major transgression that dramatically changed all of our lives.”
At the time, the former Connecticut Assistant Attorney General added, “I have nothing but the utmost respect for Gayle and how she handled herself with grace. Despite the situation, she kept our children, as well as my relationship and involvement with them, as a clear priority.”
Bumpus called King a “great wife, an excellent mother and a fantastic co-parent.”
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: May 22, 2026 at 07:36PM on Source: MORNING MAG
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