Content Warning: This article includes mention of pregnancy loss.
Just hours after his wife revealed she had suffered a miscarriage, ‘Bringing Up Bates’ star Travis Clark took to social media to share that he’d been unfaithful to his wife of four years, Katie Bates Clark.
On Saturday, Katie posted on social media that she’d suffered a miscarriage, captioning a video compilation featuring her reading the positive pregnancy test, sharing the news with husband Travis Clark and later being admitted to the hospital with, “I will spend the rest of my life missing you.”
Travis didn’t mention the miscarriage on social media but instead shared the shocking news that he had an affair.
“This is hard to write, but I owe the truth and I owe an apology,” the post began. “I was unfaithful to my wife. I had an affair and repeatedly broke her trust. There is no excuse for what I did. This was my failure and my responsibility alone.
“I know that words don’t began to express the damage I caused or the depth of the hurt I’ve brought into her life, but I am truly sorry,” Travis continued. “I’m sorry for the pain, humiliation, and betrayal I caused my wife through my choices.
“I understand that am apology doesn’t repair what I broke, and forgiveness is not something I deserve or can ask for.”
Travis also revealed that he is getting help, although he didn’t specify what kind of treatment he was undergoing.
“I am taking responsibility by getting help and doing the work to change and become a more honest and accountable man, regardless of outcome,” he added. “I ask for privacy and grace for Katie as she processes this in her own time.”
Katie– who shares daughter Hailey and son Harvey with Travis— has yet to publicly respond to her husband’s confession. Her older brother Lawson, who recently welcomed his second child, son Theodore, with wife Tiffany, may have thrown some shade at his brother-in-law with his latest Instagram Stories.
“One day, someone might tell your kid, ‘You’re just like your dad,’” he posted in the first video showing him working out. “Make sure it’s a complement, not an insult,” he posted in the second.
Katie and Travis married in December 2021, two-and-a-half years after first meeting on social media. Like Katie’s brother Lawson, Travis is a Christian musician. He’s also been pursuing a nursing degree.
Followers of Katie and Travis were quick to comment on the news of his cheating to both of their social media accounts, as well as on a post her parents shared celebrating the couple’s December anniversary.
“I hope Katie isn’t being blamed for Travis’s infidelity!” wrote one follower of the family, to which another replied, “And I also hope his version of seeking help for his infidelity goes beyond church council and he’s seeing an actual therapist.”
“Yet you cheated…hope she leaves you,” someone else commented.
“[I]magine your wife’s family treated you as a son. Accepted whole heartedly but still has the audacity to ruin someones life,” wrote another follower.
Despite the strong reactions, not all Bates fans were surprised by Travis’ announcement. Ten days ago, a member of the BatesSnark Subreddit started the thread “I see trouble for Travis & Katie” and listed out multiple reasons why they believed the couple’s marriage was heading toward a rough patch, from his enrollment in nursing school to her desire to have more children to the couple ending their YouTube channel.
After Travis posted his confession on Instagram, the originator of that thread, wrote, “I am sad that I was right. Now we have to see if Katie will take Travis back.”
(Photos: Instagram)
5 Responses
This is exactly why it’s wrong to push these kids into marriage at 18-19 years old. Their frontal lobe isn’t even fully developed and they are pushed into situations like this and aren’t mature enough to handle the pressures of marriage.
That’s terrible.
I’ve been through both. Just… complete hell. I can’t imagine how hard it is to have it on the back of a community where it is preached that YOU are responsible for your husband’s sins, especially the sexual kind. Where children are BLESSINGS from the lord, like rewards, and if you don’t have them, are having trouble having them, or lose a child… why would god seek to deny you? What have you done or not done? Why would god seek to take a child from you? Pray harder, Be better, Be more faithful.
You can think of NOTHING? Nothing you’ve done to upset the lord?? Obviously, it’s YOU. Did you so much as THINK a half-sinful thought? Did you take an extra bite of mashed potatoes when you didn’t NEED them?
Like… Some of those sermons…they are horrific. I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Even if everyone is kind to you during, it’s kinda there in the background.
Poor girl. She’s so young, and sweet and faultless here.
Also, no real access to non-religious therapy in too many households. I needed that shit so much. That outlet. That free space. A licensed guide. I don’t think I’d have gotten through it had I had no access to mental healthcare.
(Also, I KNEW 100% none of it was my fault going in. )
I’m HOPING everyone is kind to her face. I think back to when Anna Duggar (the cheating scandal) and they forced her to go to the retreat where literally she had to sit through this sermon (posted online) where this asshole was “passionately” scream sermoning about how it’s the WIFE’S FAULT, ALWAYS. and… Everyone is just nodding and YEAH! and… I remember just thinking, what kind of monsters make her sit through THAT today, sit next to her nodding and murmuring in agreement. How the retreat was to you know, teach her to be better. Unchristian cruelty.
I know they are raised to believe it. I know it’s not a message they haven’t heard, internalized, and even mistakenly agree with because they literally know nothing better… but still. My heart breaks anyway.
I don’t follow the Bates. I feel for the wife. She just went through such a devastating loss and her husband is more worried about scratching his itch.🤢
Then this fool has the nerve to say “I ask for privacy and grace for Katie as she processes this in her own time“.
He took her privacy from her by announcing this publicly! He took the ability for her to process the death of their baby by posting this stupid bullshit!
Was he blasting his praise music when he was screwing around on his wife? What a dick.
I wonder if she found out and that’s what caused her to miscarriage. Anyways, she won’t leave him. She’ll blame herself and he’ll be back at cheating in a couple of months.
I was wondering when the first Bates scandal will hit. They got married too young just cuz they were horny. In normal times, they would have just dated and even if he would cheat, she would just leave him. The thing is though, the whole fundie world somehow ends up blaming the wife for it (anyone remembers Anna?) so I doubt she will leave him. What a shitty timing too. You are a scumbag Travis, you don’t deserve Katie.