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Quite the transformation! Kate Gosselin has changed *a lot* since she burst onto the reality TV scene in 2007. She rose to fame on the hit reality show, Jon & Kate Plus 8, and is now preparing to take over the TV world yet again with a new series showing her navigating the dating scene as a single mom. From her iconic hairstyle to her time on Dancing With the Stars, we’re reliving it all! Scroll through the gallery to see photos of Kate then and now.
Kate and her former flame, Jon Gosselin, tied the knot in 1999. The exes welcomed their first two children, twins Cara and Mady, in October 2000. A few years later, Jon and Kate’s sextuplets were born via c-section in May 2004.
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Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Discovery
Rise to Fame
The first season of Jon & Kate Plus 8 debuted on the Discovery Health Channel in 2007 and midway through Season 5, the couple announced their decision to separate.
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Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images
Twinkle Toes
After their split, Kate signed up to appear on the hit show Dancing With the Stars in 2010. However, she didn’t end up going home with the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
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Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Discovery
Serving Style Cues
As fans may recall, Kate also captivated the world with her unique sideswept hairstyle. When people started claiming Justin Bieber stole her look, the reality star had the best response. “I do see some resemblance to my former hairstyle. Justin’s is a current take on it, yes!” she told Cosmopolitan in 2015. “And it’s OK, he can have it!”
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Amy Sussman/WireImage for Discovery Communications
Love Is in the Air
Fast forward to now, and Kate has totally embraced her single status. With most of her children grown up and her split from Jon well behind her, the 44-year-old is more than ready to give romance another shot.
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INFphoto
Trying Out Her Luck
“I’m nervous, I’m excited, and I’m forcing myself to do this,” she told People following her 2009 divorce from Jon. The reality star said she “started picturing myself sitting in a rocking chair, knitting, and words like ‘old maid’ and ‘spinster’ started to come to mind, and I realized that no, I don’t want that to be my fate.”
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Virginia Sherwood/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Moving On
The mother-of-eight also expressed how she felt this was probably her safest bet when it comes to navigating the dating world. “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,” she said.
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James Devaney/WireImage
Home Is Where the Heart Is
Kate doesn’t post all that often on Instagram, but she finally returned to social media on September 30, 2018, with a sweet post about her family life. “Part of our zoo. Wouldn’t have it any other way! #HumanAndFurKids #Love,” Kate captioned the snaps of her brood.
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Philip Ramey/Corbis via Getty Images
A New Milestone
Fans have practically watched Jon and Kate’s children grow up in front of their eyes, so you can imagine everyone’s surprise when their oldest kids turned 18 the following month.
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Courtesy of Kate Gosselin/Instagram
Proud Mom Alert
“There are no words to describe how proud I am of you both,” Kate gushed in her celebratory post dedicated to Mady and Cara in October 2018. She added, “Despite the many turbulent times you’ve had to deal with so far in life, you have emerged as wise, level-headed, reasonable, forgiving, loving, kind and absolutely brilliant ADULTS!”
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Taylor Hill/Getty Images
The Best Is Yet to Come
Kate and her daughters Mady and Cara recently discussed her upcoming dating show at a TCA panel in Los Angeles and they shared exactly how they felt about their mom hopefully finding love again.
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Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Showing Support
“We’ve been nudging her to date for years,” Mady said at the event in February 2019. “We’re all, all eight of us, are so glad that she finally is. She deserves to be happy.”
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Courtesy of Kate Gosselin/Instagram
Trusting the Process
Even though the reality star mom has faced backlash for putting her kids on TV at such a young age, she addressed how it was an overall good experience. “I feel like, more than anything, it has enriched their lives,” Kate said at the TCA panel.
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Courtesy of Kate Gosselin/Instagram
Making Strides
“It has made them world-wise and taught them a lot about people’s intentions I think more so than other kids their age,” the mother-of-eight continued. Kate raved about all of her children and said they are “very intelligent and informed.”
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Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery
Blow Out the Candles
Kate will likely be celebrating her birthday with her loved ones and luckily for fans, we haven’t seen the last of her yet. Kate Plus Date premieres in June on TLC.
