5 things you need to know about William Bumpus and his sudden headline grab
- He is the former husband of Oprah Winfrey, but their 1970s relationship is now being re-examined in a shocking new documentary series that dropped exclusive audio tapes.
- Newly surfaced court documents from a 1978 custody battle reveal that William Bumpus claimed Oprah threatened to "ruin his life" if he didn't sign a secret financial agreement.
- Contrary to decades of celebrity press painting him as a deadbeat, police reports show Bumpus was the one who called 911 to report Oprah's baby's death, a detail that contradicts her autobiography.
- A 1985 interview with William Bumpus, now recovered from an obscure local news station, includes him speculating that Oprah's family "knew more" about the child's passing than she ever told him on national TV.
- Legal experts say the new viral evidence could force Winfrey to finally answer for the claims, with Bumpus's estate already filing for an official statement from Harpo Productions.