Gayle King and ex-husband Bill Bumpus were married from 1982 to 1993 and share two kids.
Gayle King wants to show her ex-husband, Bill Bumpus, what he's missing! The 69-year-old CBS Mornings co-anchor and Sports Illustrated cover star spoke with ET at the launch party for the magazine's annual swimsuit issue on Thursday at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City's Times Square.
"It has sunk in, but it's still mind-blowing to me, honestly," King told ET of the honor. "I used to look at it all the time, myself… never in a gazillion years did I think I would be that person."
The mother of two said that both her children — daughter, Kirby, 38, and son, William, 37 — have reached out to her about her cover.
"Both of them said to me separately, 'Mom, this is really cool. We're very proud of you,'" King shared before jokingly adding, "I wonder what my ex-husband is saying. I'm gonna send him a copy!"
King was married to attorney Bumpus from 1982 to 1993. They share children Kirby and William. She previously accused her ex of cheating on her with a friend in 1990, leading to their eventual split.
On Thursday, King opened up about the unexpected response she has received to her historic cover.
"But what's been most interesting to me is the number of women who've been stopping me, saying, 'You have no idea what an inspiration this is,'" King shared, saying she's been called "brave" for willingly posing in a swimsuit.
Admitting, "I had a little trepidation because I didn't want to look ridiculous," King said she got help from supermodel Tyra Banks, who "showed me how to stand."
She also found great strength in the Sports Illustrated team.
"They make it so comfortable to you. The team that they have at Sports Illustrated is no joke," she said.
King previously spoke with ET about her longtime pal, Oprah Winfrey's, reaction to her cover.
"Oprah said, 'You and I have two different ideas of fun. You would enjoy that.' I go, 'I do, I do.' But she said, 'It's so you, you should go for it.' And I do feel it's going for it," King said. "If Oprah, favorite daughter Kirby, favorite son-in-law and favorite son, if any of them said, 'Eh I don't think you should do it,' it would have given me pause, but nobody said that."
The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue is on stands now.
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