For the first time, Collin Gosselin is speaking out about his mother, Kate Gosselin, and his life growing up on Jon & Kate Plus 8.
Collin— who currently lives with his father Jon Gosselin (who usually does these interviews for Collin)— spoke to Entertainment Tonight in a sit-down interview to discuss his lack of relationship with his mom, and whether or not he feels they can someday repair things between them.
As The Ashley has previously reported, 18-year-old Collin has lived with Jon since 2018, when Jon (who already had custody of Collin’s sister Hannah) filed for full custody and Kate failed to show up in court to fight.
Collin lived in a residential care home from 2016 until December 2018 because, according to Kate, he had “special needs.” Jon later denied Kate’s claim, though, insisting that Collin does not actually have special needs and is not “on any spectrum.”
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In his new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Collin said that being sent to the residential facility by his mother basically killed any relationship he had with her up until that point.
“After being there, I didn’t have a relationship with her,” Collin said, adding that things between him and Kate weren’t great prior to her sending him away. “Even before [she sent me] there, I don’t think we had much of a relationship and I think that just kept tearing it even more down.”
He described his relationship with Kate at that time as being “worse than what you would say the average teenage kid goes through [with their mom].”
“I came to the conclusion that everybody has their own agenda, you know?” Colin said. “My mom had her own agenda, and I don’t know exactly what that was. But I was put in a tough spot and my agenda was to make it out on top of that tough spot.
He believes fame caused Kate to change.
“I want to believe it was because of TV and what being in the public eye does to a family. I think it tore us apart,” he said.
When asked how he felt when his mom didn’t show up to court to fight for custody of him in 2018, Collin said it didn’t bother him.
“Like I said, it’s on her own terms and if she doesn’t want to show up she doesn’t have to show up,” he said.
In 2019, Jon filed court documents asking a judge to not allow Kate to have time with Collin alone, claiming that Kate was a “trigger” for the teen.
Despite their turbulent past, Collin told ET that he wishes his mom had been in his life.
“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t have a relationship [when I was younger],” Collin said. “I think every son wants to have a relationship with their mom. But I’m doing very well.”
He did reveal, though, that he would be open to trying to work things out with Kate.
“Yes, it would be ideal,” Collin said.
Collin also told the site (in a clip released via Twitter) that it’s been years since he had contact with his siblings (other than Hannah). As fans know, Jon and Kate’s sextuplets also include Alexis, Leah, Joel and Aaden (who currently live with Kate). They also share older twins Mady and Cara.
Collin Gosselin has a message for the brothers and sisters he has not seen in years. pic.twitter.com/WFw0KWB8A7
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) November 28, 2022
“I have not spoken to my siblings in probably five or six years now,” he said. “It’s tough. I would love to have a relationship with them. I love my siblings. I would be willing to put my parents [and their issues] aside, and I have. In my eyes, it’s me and my siblings. I love them to death.”
Collin got emotional when talking about his siblings during the interview.
Even though all of their children are adults now, Kate and Jon are still fighting in the press over back child support and other issues. In September, Kate demanded in court that Jon fork over $132,000 in back child support, just weeks after Jon accused Kate of stealing $100,000 from their children’s trust fund accounts.
Kate has yet to comment on Collin’s interview.
(Photos: Twitter; TLC; Instagram)
12 Responses
The amount of parent alienation all the kids experienced is heartbreaking.
They have to believe dad’s version of the truth or mom’s.
Truth is they are both toxic narcs.
From Day One, Kate Gosselin was only focused on one thing – Kate Gosselin.
And I’m gonna pay the $15 for the eventual tell all one or more of those kids will write.
what kate did to those kids and Jon is horrific!!! the kids will pay for her greed and narcissism for the rest of their lives!!! she is a disgusting human! she treated Jon like garbage and anyone who watched the show saw it–I hope the kids will see through it but I have doubts-she has completely brainwashed them-sad!!
Hopefully they at least stagger the release dates!
It wouldn’t shock me at all if Kate forbid the other kids from having contact with Collin. Since they’re still dependent on her and she controls the trust funds… Kate gets her way at the detriment of her kids, again.
I think it’s really sad that the siblings don’t talk to Collin. Collin didn’t do anything wrong. Kate always treated him bad and was so strict with all of the kids. I didn’t see a whole lot of love for the kids from Kate. I wish Collin nothing but the best, it isn’t easy going through what he has and coming out on top. I have no doubt he will be a success in whatever he chooses to do with his life.
Wow. Good on him for being able to get through that mess and come out as well adjusted as he did. Kate really became a famewhore and just got caught up in that VIP lifestyle. We see it all of the time on reality tv now. People showing for the cameras and have two hundred dollars in their bank account. It makes no sense and is a horrible model for the rest of us.
This is a sad situation. Hopefully all the kids can put the parents aside, bc that’s where all this stems from, and come together.
Those poor kids ????. It honestly is heartbreaking what their parents have done to them and put them through.
Collin is way more mature about the situation with Kate than I could ever be. She is truly a POS.
I had the same kinda mother, similar issues being sent away. I’m 40 now, and all I can say is good luck, kiddo, and surround yourself with support, because you will be dealing with what happened and the fallout from it for the rest of your life.