Gayle King’s ex-husband, William Bumpus, has publicly apologised for cheating on her with one of her close friends decades ago after the TV personality recently revisited the painful experience on a podcast.

 According to Daily Mail, in his statement, Bumpus apologised to Gayle, their children and grandchildren for the pain caused, admitting responsibility for his actions and saying he has long owned up to them publicly.

 He also said Gayle had every right to speak about the painful chapter, while praising her for supporting him through law school and for helping them successfully co-parent after their divorce.

The apology comes after Gayle recalled on a podcast how she allegedly returned home unexpectedly and discovered her then-husband with a close friend, a moment she said changed the course of their marriage. She and Bumpus divorced in 1993 after 11 years together.