Kathie Lee Gifford recently spoke candidly about one of the most painful chapters in her life – when her late husband, football legend Frank Gifford, had an affair that became national news in 1997. In this article we talk about: Kathie Lee Gifford Opens Up-She Shares Painful Memories of Late Husband Frank Affair.
In an interview with ET’s Rachel Smith, the 70-year-old opened up about the choices she made to forgive Frank and save their marriage for the sake of their young children, Cassidy and Cody. She shared how her Christian faith and previous experience with betrayal helped guide her response.
“I could have let the seed germinate but I don’t want to be that person, that bitter, angry, unhappy, miserable human being ’cause you know what you end up doing? You end up making everybody around you every bit as miserable,” Gifford said.
She has always viewed life as a series of choices between being a “blessing or a burden” and wanted to respond in a way that blessed her family.
The Painful Discovery
The affair came to light in 1997 when the National Enquirer published photos of Frank with former flight attendant Suzen Johnson. The famous NFL commentator and host was 63 years old at the time; Johnson was 34.
Kathie Lee was co-hosting ‘Live with Regis and Kathie Lee’ at the height of its popularity. She described the months and years following the scandal as “very painful” – especially with a young son and daughter at home.
Cassidy was only 4 years old when the news broke. Cody was 7. As a mother, Gifford was devastated but determined to make decisions that would be best for their family and future.
The Role of Forgiveness
Gifford credits her Christian faith with teaching her the importance of forgiveness long before this crisis.
“I’d been married before to a man who betrayed me deeply and I forgave him right away. You don’t hold on, don’t wait to forgive… you’re only hurting yourself,” she told Smith.
“Immediately forgive because love cannot live where hate does.”
Rather than allowing feelings of resentment and betrayal to take root, Kathie Lee chose to forgive Frank. She recognized that clinging to anger would only poison her soul and make those around her unhappy too.
Repairing the Marriage
Repairing their marriage after the affair was exposed was not easy or fast. Frank had broken Kathie Lee’s trust and knew she could never view him exactly the same way again.
Still, they were committed to preserving their family and the life they had built together. Kathie Lee credits her faith in God to heal wounds that seemed impossible to mend at the time.
Many fans still approach her today to share how her choice to forgive rather than seek revenge or divorce has inspired them in their own relationships. They see Frank and Kathie Lee’s story as a statement that marriages can survive even serious breaches of trust when both partners want restoration.
An Earlier Betrayal
This was not the first time Gifford had dealt with betrayal from a spouse. Her first husband, Christian music composer Paul Johnson, had caused deep hurt through infidelity as well.
“I’d been married before to a man who betrayed me deeply and I forgave him right away,” she shared.
That experience taught her the value of immediate forgiveness without harboring resentment or waiting for an apology. She believes choosing to release the negativity right away is healthiest emotionally and spiritually.
The Impact on Her Kids
A driving motivation for Gifford was protecting her two young children. She recognized that divorcing their father would profoundly impact Cassidy and Cody’s lives and development.
“I knew my children would be very, very different people if we had broken up at that time,” she told Smith.
In an earlier interview, she explained further: “If I had run when Frank had his temporary insanity…then our children wouldn’t have their father.”
Keeping their family intact provided stability and a chance at healing.
The Blessing of Perspective
While immensely painful at the time, Gifford now sees the good that ultimately came from choosing to forgive Frank and fight for their marriage. Fans still approach her, even decades later, sharing how her story gave them hope and courage to persevere through major offenses in their own relationships.
She views the affair as a choice Frank made but does not believe in allowing it to forever poison their family. Her capacity to show grace and lean on her faith transformed the scandal into an inspiring redemption story that still helps others.
Rather than becoming bitter and isolated, Gifford emerged with perspective, gratitude and an even stronger commitment to being a blessing. I sincerely hope you find this “Kathie Lee Gifford Opens Up-She Shares Painful Memories of Late Husband Frank Affair” article helpful.
