Timothy Busfield is making headlines — but it’s not for his projects on the big and small screen.
On January 9, 2026, Us Weekly confirmed that the actor and director was facing two counts of sexual abuse involving a minor. An arrest warrant was issued by authorities in New Mexico after a child actor alleged that Busfield had touched him inappropriately when they worked together on TV series The Cleaning Lady.
Four days later, Busfield willingly surrendered to police and released a statement denying the allegations.
“I’m going to confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys,” Busfield said in a video obtained by TMZ on January 13, 2026. “I’m going to fight it. I’m going to fight it with a great team, and I’m going to be exonerated. I know I am because this is all so wrong and all lies.”
The accusations have put a new spotlight on both Busfield and his relationship history.
The West Wing actor is currently married to The Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert.
In a statement to Us, Gilbert’s rep said the actress will not be making any statements at the request of Busfield’s lawyers.
“During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment,” Gilbert’s rep shared. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”
Gilbert has deleted her social media accounts in the wake of the controversy. She previously shared a cryptic post about injustice and accountability less than one week before Busfield was issued an arrest warrant for alleged child sex abuse.
“You seem to have a mistaken discomfort for injustice,” an anonymous quote shared via Gilbert’s Instagram page read on January 5, alongside hashtags for “Fragility,” “You Know Who You Are” and “That’s Right, I’m Looking at You.”
She further explained her reasoning for posting the message in the comments section.
“Basically this comment about playing the victim and blaming others. It’s about not taking accountability for your own situation,” she stated. “It’s about being a big whiny baby. I saw this quote and it struck me.”
Keep reading to learn more about Busfield’s marriage to Gilbert and his relationship history below:
Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield started dating after they met in a Los Angeles bar in 2012.
“I remember so clearly grabbing pizza and then looking in the door to make sure there wasn’t a lot going on,” Busfield recalled to People in 2022. “There was one person sitting at the bar and she had a fedora on, and I couldn’t tell who it was but I knew it was problematic. And it’d been about eight months I hadn’t been on a date.”
After a brief introduction, the pair wound up talking all night. “I knew she was the one,” he recalled. “It felt so real.”
Busfield proposed to Gilbert during the holidays that same year and the pair were married in April 2013.
In March 2020, the pair started working together on their eponymous “Gilbert & Busfield” podcast.
Jenny Merwin
Fashion designer Jenny Merwin was married to Timothy Busfield from 1988 until their divorce in 2007. During their relationship, the pair welcomed two children together.
When Merwin filed for divorce, she cited irreconcilable differences as the reason behind the split.
Radha Delamarter
Lucky Luke actress Radha Delamarter was married to Timothy Busfield from 1982 to 1986 and share one son together.
After her divorce from Busfield, Delamarter reportedly went on to marry Fritz Sperberg.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
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