“Jon & Kate Plus 8” star Jon Gosselin is making an emotional plea to his estranged children after more than a decade apart. In a new interview, the former reality star also encouraged his children to read their brother’s (Collin Gosselin) book, adding that it would explain a lot about the downfall of their family.
Jon Gosselin Says He Hasn’t Spoken To Some Of His Children In 13 Years
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Jon said he and his children haven’t made any progress in quite some time. “I mean, I know Hannah [Gosselin] has,” he said. “But I have not personally talked to them.”
Don’t forget: Jon and his ex-wife, Kate Gosselin, have twins Mady and Cara, now 26, and sextuplets Hannah, Collin, Aeden, Leah, Joel, and Alexis, now 22. Their lives were documented on the TLC reality show, “Jon & Kate Plus 8.”
After three years of filming, Jon and Kate split, according to The Blast, and the show rebranded as “Kate Plus 8.”
Jon Gosselin Says He Misses His Kids And Wishes He Could Connect With Them
Elsewhere in the interview, Jon said he wishes he still had a relationship with his children, adding that he misses them and wishes he could speak with them.
“I just want to know how their life is going. I mean, we’re perfect strangers now. It’s been a long time with Mady and Cara. About 13 years I’ve been estranged from them. I have no idea why. And then the other four, I haven’t seen them since before COVID, maybe,” he said.
Jon previously spoke about his strained relationship with his children in 2023 on an episode of “Dark Side of the 2000s.” In the episode, he revealed he had been completely cut off from his offspring. “I have no idea why they stopped coming. I have no answers. Like, none. It’s the worst,” he said candidly.
According to Jon, if he did something to hurt his children, he said he’d rather hear it from them than be met with silence. “I have nothing. It’s like I have no closure,” he said.
In a previous interview with PEOPLE, Mady Gosselin pushed back against her father’s claims, saying he’s responsible for their lack of a relationship.
“He makes it seem like we’re being kept from him, which is insane,” she said. “He should maybe spend some time thinking about why we don’t want to see him, and maybe realize that if he ever does want a relationship with us, talking about us on TV is not the way to make that happen.”
Jon Gosselin Urges His Kids To ‘Form Your Own Opinions’ Amid Family Drama
Today, however, Jon said he still hopes his children will change their minds and reconnect with him in the future. “I hope you understand that I still love you. I hope one day you reach out to me,” he said. The former reality star also urged his children to read his brother’s memoir, “In the Shadow of Eight,” saying it would answer difficult questions.
Wrapping up, Jon told his children to do what feels right. “Be your own person. You are all adults now. Form your own opinions and try to take in as much information before you talk ill will or anything about anyone in this family,” he said.
Collin Had A Similar Message For His Siblings
Collin shared a similar message with his siblings just weeks ago while promoting his book, in which he details the alleged abuse and mistreatment he suffered at the hands of his mother.
Collin said that as he’s done more research, he thought it would be helpful for his siblings to take a closer look at the facts, too. “The information is out there, but you can’t always believe what you’ve been fed,” he said.
Collin, Jon, and Hannah Will Be In A Netflix Documentary
More about the Gosselin family fallout will be revealed in the coming months, as Netflix announced a new documentary following Collin, Jon, and Hannah, per The Blast.
“In the years following the Gosselins’ TV stardom, conflicting accounts have emerged from within the family itself — competing memories of the same childhood, home, and time in the spotlight. The new documentary pieces together the story from the perspectives of the children who grew up on camera, the adults who built a brand around them, and the audience that couldn’t look away,” the program’s description read.
