Jon and Kate Gosselin’s Tumultuous Relationship From Marrying to Splitting and Endless Accusations

2007

After several hour-long specials focusing on the family, season 1 of Jon & Kate Plus 8 debuted on the Discovery Health Channel to generally positive reviews. It later was moved to TLC after two seasons, where it took off. Its fifth season premiere was seen by nearly 10 million viewers.

May 2009

After 10 years of marriage and renewing their vows only a year earlier, the couple split in May. Before the separation, rumors were swirling that Jon was having an affair for three months before Kate found out.

“Over the course of this weekend, Jon’s activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children,” Kate said in a statement after serving him papers.

July 2009

Months later in the summer, Jon started lashing out at Kate in the wake of his cheating scandal. He alleged that Kate verbally abused him and claimed to the press that he had custody of the children.

“I took a lot of abuse from her. I was put down,” Jon told ABC News that summer. “I’m taking care of the kids. [Kate’s] on book tours, she’s doing all these things.”

2010

The couple officially divorced in December 2009, but drama started up again when Kate went on Dancing With the Stars, a career move that Jon called out. He referred to her at the time as “an absentee mom” in a petition filed by his attorney Anthony F. List and accused her of not spending time with their kids, and even calls his child-support bill — which amounts to $20,000 per month — “ridiculous.”

2013

In an interview, Jon alleged that the Gosselin kids suffered as a result of the show, developing issues. “They have problems talking with other people, and they have problems with wants and needs and manners and morals and what’s right and what’s wrong,” he said in the sit-down.

Of course, Kate went on to deny these claims, calling them “untrue and hurtful.” But that didn’t stop Jon. The same year, he referred to his 10-year marriage with Kate as “a business transaction.”

2014

The drama continued for another year with Jon suggesting to E News! that Kate needed a psychiatric evaluation and that she was keeping his kids away from him. He also recommended publicly that he have custody until Kate gets it together.

Kate responded by appearing on the Today show with the eldest Gosselin daughters, Mady and Cara. She refuted claims that the children were “damaged” from filming reality TV, but the interview got super awkward, with the twins going silent at one point.

Jon had his own response. “I’m very upset,” he told ET. “I love my children very much. I’ve always been there for them and I always will be. It’s shocking.”

2016

Jon, at this time working as a part-time DJ, said that he hardly saw his kids despite a custody agreement with Kate that entitled him to weekly dinners and overnight weekends every other week. Not only was his relationship with Kate “non-existent,” but he also alleged at the time that he hadn’t seen his son Collin in a year and a half.

“I can’t do anything,” Gosselin said in an interview with Yahoo. “It’s unfair of her to do that, considering she claims that she does her best for all my kids.”

2017

Jon Gosselin shockingly announced that he would be performing in a strip show in Atlantic City, New Jersey. “I work at Dusk Nightclub in Atlantic City, New Jersey,” he told ET. “I’m a member of the Senate DJ group and I also help with Promotion.”

But for a special performance, he’d be taking the stage himself. “I’m an integral part of the show. Being part of something is a blessing. Since I joined Senate DJ I’ve felt like I belong to something and I’m not just out there on my own — I feel as if I’m part of a fraternity or brotherhood,” he admitted.”

April 2018

Almost a decade after her divorce, Kate rejoined the dating pool with a new TLC TV show called Kate Plus Date. “I’m nervous, I’m excited, and I’m forcing myself to do this,” she told People. “If I’m going to date someone, I can’t just go out on a date — it’s creepy to me to think of just going out somewhere with some stranger, and so I actually feel like doing it like this is the best and safest way for me to go on a date — a camera crew will be there! I’ll be safe! And the person will have been vetted by a matchmaker.”

August 2018

After months of speculation, Jon confirmed that he had full custody of one of the sextuplets, Hannah Gosselin. “She permanently lives with me,” the dad clarified to fans in an Instagram Live.

December 2018

Only a few months later, Jon regained custody of another one his children, Collin Gosselin. A source revealed to In Touch that the father was granted temporary custody, and that Kate hadn’t even come to court.

2019

Jon claimed that he had to re-parent his kids. “A lot of stuff happened, abuse wise, mental, physical — even though they are 15, they might [behave like they’re] 12. The mental abuse, the [parental] alienation, just the put-downs,” he said in an interview on Dr. Oz. In the same episode, he also denied having an affair “during separation in 2009.”

2020

Collin accused his dad of abuse. “My dad is a liar,” Collin wrote in the since-deleted Instagram post’s caption. “Yesterday he beat me up and thought nothing of it, he punched me in the face and gave me a swollen nose and I started bleeding. He then continued to kick me in the ribs after I was on the floor. He is a liar.”

While Jon denied the abuse, Kate spoke out about it. “You do not punch and kick your children. You do not kick a child. I don’t want to hear any excuses from anyone, not from his father, not from local law enforcement, not from court personnel whose job is supposedly to ensure the best interests of my children,” the Kate Plus Date alum told People. “There is a child abuse law, PA 23, section 8i states that doing any of the following, regardless of whether it causes injury, is child abuse, and first on that list is kicking. Period.” She added, “Enough is enough.”

2021

Going on Dr. Oz, Jon claimed that Hannah does not miss her mom, Kate. He also claimed that he hadn’t spoken to his twins in eight years. “I haven’t talked to my twins in eight years,” he said. “I text them every single year. And every time I come here to your show or interview, I text my daughter every single time.” Providing an update on Collin, he said his son would be joining the Army or Marines.

APRIL 2022

Despite settling their custody agreement years earlier, Kate and Jon still struggled to come to terms with their respective relationships with their children. In April 2022, a source exclusively told In Touch that Kate is  “irate, like beyond furious” that Hannah chose to live with Jon and Colin.
 
“Kate absolutely adored Hannah and wanted her to stay with her,” the insider shared. “But Hannah just felt that it was not the right atmosphere for her, even though she absolutely loves her brothers and sisters.”

Meanwhile, another source said that Jon and Hannah have a “close” relationship amid the teen’s strained dynamic with her mom.

MAY 2022

Hannah opened up about her decision to live with Jon instead of Kate during a May 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
 
“I chose to live with my dad, I feel like I just made the choice for myself. I have always been closer with my dad, and we’ve always had a strong good relationship,” the former reality star explained.
 
She also reflected on moving out of Kate’s house, where four of her siblings continue to live. “It’s a lot, growing up in a very busy household with lots of kids. And there’s not really a one-on-one relationship, for attention, that you have with your parent,” the teen shared. “I felt like my dad gave me that attention and a feeling like I had a good solid relationship with a parent.”