Ted Haggard, Wife to Appear on 'Divorce Court'
Former evangelical leader Ted Haggard and his wife, Gayle, will appear on the TV show "Divorce Court" to talk about how their marriage survived the storm of a gay sex and drug scandal that shocked the nation and made the once popular pastor an outcast.
The Haggards were in Los Angeles on Wednesday for the taping of the interview, which will be broadcast nationally on April 1, according to Colorado Springs-based The Gazette.
In the interview, the Haggards will tell viewers that divorce is not the answer and share how their marriage was able to survive the intense pressure following the scandal.
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Gayle Haggard has said both their marriage and Christian faith were strengthened by the experience and describes her marriage as now stronger than ever. She also says her husband has become "a better man" because of what happened, according to The Gazette.
Just two years ago, Ted Haggard was one of the most influential and respected Christian leaders in the United States as president of the 30 million-member National Association of Evangelicals and the founding pastor of the 10,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo.
But a sex and drug accusation by a Denver male escort brought down the man who Time magazine had named as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America in its February 2005 issue.
After the scandal broke out, Haggard was forced to resign as president of NAE, stepped down as pastor of New Life Church, nearly went bankrupt, contemplated suicide, was seen as a disgrace to the Christian community, and had urged his wife to divorce him for her sake.
They both, however, held onto their marriage and now believe they have a lot to share about how to keep a marriage in tact despite severe trials.
Haggard's "Divorce Court" appearance is among his latest media stops that have included the "Oprah Winfrey Show," CNN's "Larry King Live," and ABC's "World News Sunday."
Prior to Haggard, another Christian leader had also appeared on "Divorce Court." Last April, televangelist Juanita Bynum came on the show to talk about her highly publicized domestic violence and divorce case.
But in Bynum's case, she talked about how divorce was the answer to her marriage problems.
Her ex-husband, Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, was also invited to appear n "Divorce Court," but he declined the offer.
