Gayle King dodged a bullet that would have been a catalyst for a new conversation.

The popular journalist shared her reaction to her ex-husband William Bumpus’ apology over a cheating scandal that tore their marriage apart. This came shortly after she revisited the sensitive topic on a podcast, recalling when she walked in on him and one of her friends decades ago.

Gayle King has since moved on, shifting focus to raising her kids and building her career as she recently renewed her contract with CBS to continue hosting the morning shows. However, the television personality has yet to throw in the towel on love.

Gayle King Slides Over Love Life Question

Reporters caught up with King for a quick chat about her husband’s recent apology for stepping out of their marriage nearly 40 years ago. She said that the apology meant a lot to her, noting that they were living through a “very painful time.”

The famous TV host went on to resonate with others who had been through similar ordeals, stating that she knows they can get through to the other side.

King shared that the reason she can talk about the painful situation so candidly is that so much time has passed and she has healed from the heartbreaking experience.

The journalist stressed that she and Bumpus are not in a better place, adding that the reaction from other women in the “I’ve been cheated on club” has been surprising.

The mom of two spoke further on her healing, saying, “I’m now singing the RAYE song: Baby, where the hell is my husband?”

The reporter immediately asked, between laughs, “Well, are you actively dating?” to which King hovers over without giving a direct answer but instead says, “Yes, so where is he? That’s a question.”

The Television Personality Was Shocked At Her Ex-Husband’s Apology

TMZ shared that King revealed that seeing the release about Bumpus’ apology came as a huge surprise to her for two reasons. The first being that reporters were able to find him and secondly that he talked to them “cause he never talks,” she said.

She admitted that she appreciated what her ex had to say about the painful incident. Later in the interview, King was asked if she was expecting any phone calls from Bumpus, to which she responded, “He and I actually talk to each other.”

The CBS anchor reiterated that her ex’s apology was surprising to her, stating, “I did not know he was going to do it” as she made her way to her car. “When i got it this morning and read it, i was very, very surprised. He didn’t say anything to me about it,” she added.

William Bumpus Apologized To The Whole Family

King and Bumpus were married from 1982 until 1993 and share two children, daughter Kirby and son William Jr. He recently issued a statement apologizing to his ex-wife and kids for the strain his actions brought upon the whole family.

“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,” he said. Before adding “Those actions were mine. I have long owned them — including publicly in my own words in 2016, which still stand.” 

As reported by The Blast, Bumpus acknowledged that King has the right to speak about the painful chapter of their lives, even though it happened nearly forty years ago. His apology came after the TV host addressed the issue on a recent episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.

He noted that he remains “endlessly grateful to Gayle” for giving him “two of the greatest gifts of my life — our daughter Kirby and our son William,” and also praised her for being a supportive partner during their marriage.

The ‘CBS Mornings’ Host Recalled The Moment The Scales Fell From Her Eyes

King shared her past with Alex Cooper on her podcast detailing how she found out her then-husband was having an affair with one of her friends. She revealed that she was completely in the dark, negating the popular saying “the wife always knows.”

The journalist said she started getting hints that something was going on when she heard her friend say something minuscule to Bumpus with “an intimacy” in the way she said it. The mom of two disclosed that the woman was also married with kids who were friends with Kirby and William Jr.

She explained that her ex tried to “gaslight” her at the time when she asked about the tension between him and her friend, to the point where she convinced herself she was overreacting. The journalist pushed the “visceral reaction” to what she felt she saw between them aside. 

That fateful day when she caught them at her house, her flight was delayed or canceled, and she didn’t have a chance to call home to say she would be returning early. As reported by The Blast, the first red flag she noticed when she got to the door was that the alarm was set.

“I thought, ‘that’s change because you’re in here by yourself. You’re a big a-s grown a-s man. He never sets the alarm.” She then recalled Bumous “flying out of the room in a towel,” telling her she couldn’t enter.

Later, she caught her friend, whom she named Casey for the interview, “cowering behind a door,” wearing one of her expensive towels.

Gayle King Previously Debunked Rumors About Her Relationship

Last year, King told PEOPLE that “getting married” was the next item on her bucket list, and the internet took the cue, and images showing the broadcaster wearing a large ring and posing with a man went viral online.  

She responded to the rumors that she was engaged or married during the “CBS Mornings” broadcast, stating that she had been getting a lot of texts with questions about who the lucky man was. King went on to explain that the images circulating online were generated by artificial intelligence.

“These [AI-]generated images have been making their way across the internet,” she said, before declaring, “So I’m here to say exclusively on CBS Mornings, I’m not married, not even engaged.” 

Some of the rumors were that the man was a “prominent figure in the business world, known for his philanthropic efforts and his low-profile lifestyle.”

King disclosed that even her kids had piqued curiosity about the supposed man before her co-host, Nate Burleson, playfully told viewers to shoot their shot.

Will Gayle King give an update on her dating life soon?