Kathie Lee Gifford Opens Up About Her Husband’s Affair and Why She Won’t Remarry

Kathie Lee Gifford has spoken candidly about her marriage to her late husband, Frank Gifford, revisiting the affair scandal that once shook their family while also revealing where she stands on marriage more than a decade after his passing.

Now 72, the longtime television personality said she is not dating anyone and has no plans to begin a new relationship.

“I am not dating anybody right now, and I don’t want to date,” Gifford said. “I’m not looking, and I don’t think I’ll ever get married again.”

She admitted that there was once a possibility of opening her heart to someone new, but ultimately the relationship never came to fruition.

“I had an opportunity for that to maybe happen, but it didn’t work out.”

Despite moving forward with her life, Gifford said Frank Gifford will always remain the greatest love she has ever known.

“Frank will always be the love of my life. If God wants to do something miraculous, like give me another great love, then I’m open to it. And so I leave room for the miraculous to happen.”

Her comments have also brought renewed attention to the highly publicized scandal that rocked their marriage in 1997, when a tabloid exposed Frank Gifford’s infidelity, thrusting the couple into the national spotlight.

Rather than ending the marriage, Kathie Lee Gifford chose to confront the crisis alongside her husband. She has previously revealed that she returned home just one week after the scandal broke to begin rebuilding their relationship together.

Looking back today, Gifford said that decision continues to resonate with many couples facing marital struggles.

“There’s not a day that goes by that somebody doesn’t come up to me and say, ‘I just want you to know I had separated from my husband, and I went back. We went for counseling. We healed our marriage.’”

According to Gifford, hearing stories like these has helped her realize that the pain she experienced ultimately carried a greater purpose. While Frank’s affair caused profound emotional heartbreak, choosing forgiveness and working through the betrayal became an inspiration for many other families.

Frank Gifford passed away on August 9, 2015, after suffering a massive heart attack. Kathie Lee Gifford vividly recalled discovering her husband on the floor of their home and the comforting words emergency responders shared with her.

“The EMT guys came, and they said, ‘Mrs. Gifford, we just want you to know your husband, he never suffered. He never saw the ground he fell on.’”

She added that although Frank was only one week away from celebrating his 85th birthday, she believes he was ready to leave.

“He was one week shy of his 85th birthday, but he was ready to go.”

Following Frank’s death, the family chose to donate his brain for scientific research. Posthumous examinations later revealed that the former football star had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease commonly associated with repeated head trauma sustained by athletes.

“We donated his brain to science to be studied for CTE, which my son is very, very involved with now. A lot of people have brain trauma all over the world, not just football players.”

Frank Gifford is widely remembered as one of the greatest players in NFL history. He spent nearly his entire professional career with the New York Giants, earned multiple Pro Bowl selections, and was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After retiring from football, he enjoyed another successful career as a television broadcaster, becoming one of the most recognizable voices on Monday Night Football for decades.

Kathie Lee Gifford and Frank Gifford married in 1986 despite an age difference of more than 20 years. During nearly three decades together, they welcomed two children, Cody and Cassidy. Before marrying Frank, Kathie Lee had a brief marriage to composer Paul Johnson, but it was her second marriage that established the couple as one of America’s most admired celebrity families for many years.

Professionally, Kathie Lee Gifford is regarded as one of the most influential television personalities in the United States. She rose to national prominence as the co-host of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee alongside Regis Philbin from 1985 to 2000. Her warm personality, humor, and conversational style made her a household name and earned her multiple Emmy nominations throughout her career.

After leaving Live!, she enjoyed another successful chapter as co-host of Today with Hoda Kotb for more than a decade. Her willingness to openly discuss family, faith, relationships, and life’s challenges helped her build a lasting connection with viewers. Beyond television, Gifford has also enjoyed careers as a singer, actress, producer, screenwriter, songwriter, and bestselling author, demonstrating remarkable versatility throughout more than five decades in the entertainment industry.

Like many public figures, Gifford has also faced controversy over the years. In addition to enduring her husband’s highly publicized affair, she has occasionally drawn criticism for outspoken comments on social and cultural issues, including remarks regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Nevertheless, she has consistently maintained that she believes in expressing her views honestly while accepting that not everyone will agree with her opinions.

Following Frank’s passing, Gifford gradually stepped away from the fast-paced lifestyle of New York and relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. She has said the move allowed her to find greater peace after decades in the entertainment industry. There, she has devoted more time to her family, faith, writing, music, and inspirational film projects.

Although she has experienced profound loss throughout her life, Kathie Lee Gifford says she refuses to let tragedy define who she is. Choosing forgiveness after her husband’s affair, standing by his side until his final days, and embracing life after his death have become defining chapters of her journey. She believes those experiences have encouraged countless others to believe in healing, reconciliation, and the enduring power of grace. As for her own future, Gifford says Frank will always remain the love of her life, while leaving the door open for whatever miracle life may still have in store.