Where's Kris? Bruce Jenner pictured with two of his three ex-wives

Bruce Jenner's ex-wife Linda Thompson posted a supportive picture in another sign that the TV star's sprawling, extended family is fully behind him in his transition to becoming a woman. The image on Instagram shows Linda, who was married to the former Olympian from 1981 to 1986, alongside him with his first wife Chrystie Scott, née Crownover in an undated photo.

It was accompanied by a link to Linda's 4,300 word essay about their life together titled How Living With and Loving Bruce Jenner Changed My Life Forever.

She explained in her caption that followers had asked for the link, saying: "It has been gently brought to my attention that I never personally shared the link to the Huffington Post abbreviated excerpt from my memoir in progress. So here it is. And thank you for your loving & kind response! #chrystiebruceandme."

Bruce was married to Chrystie, the mother of his eldest children Burt and Casey, in the '70s. After their divorce she went on to marry Richard Scott, while he wed Linda and had sons Brandon and Brody with her.

In her essay she revealed how their marriage fell apart when the athlete revealed to her what he told the world in an interview last week – that he identifies as a woman.

They had six months of therapy during which a doctor told her: "Linda, this is who Bruce is. His identity is that of a woman, and that will never, ever go away."

Bruce started on the road to gender reassignment but then went on to marry Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, with whom he had Kendall and Kylie as well as being stepfather to Kim and her other children. Kris tweeted her support over the weekend after his interview with Diane Sawyer aired Friday night.

Bruce with Kris and his stepchildren in 2011 Photo: Getty Images

For Linda, a successful actress and singer in her own right, it has been a relief finally to be able to speak about what Bruce and their family have lived through.

She said: "After having harbored his secret, and feeling in my heart and mind that I have protected him through these years, I can now breathe a little easier, knowing he now has found the strength and the courage to fulfill his dream. That takes tremendous courage. For that I commend him."