NEWSCollin Gosselin Says TLC Producers Were Too 'Afraid' of Mom Kate to Stop Her Alleged Abuse: 'She Was the Master of the Operation'

Collin Gosselin claimed 'everybody' was afraid of his mom, Kate Gosselin.
Oct. 14 2026, Published 11:31 a.m. ET
Collin Gosselin continues to speak out against his estranged mother, Kate Gosselin.
The 22-year-old, who recently shared details about the alleged physical and verbal abuse he went through as a child in his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight, opened up about how he was failed by those around him.
Collin Gosselin and His Family Rose to Fame on TLC

Collin Gosselin is one of eight children.
Collin is one of eight children Kate shares with ex-husband Jon Gosselin, whom she was married to from 1999 to 2009.
The former couple first welcomed twin daughters Mady and Cara in 2000, followed by their sextuplets — Collin, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Leah and Joel — in 2004.
The family first found fame on TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8, which aired in 2007, and followed their lives with eight young children.
After the couple's 2009 divorce, Kate was given primary custody of the kids. During this time, Collin claimed his mom was abusive towards him and would go out of her way to isolate him from his siblings.
'Do You Think TLC Should Have Stepped In?'

Collin Gosselin released his memoir on October 13.
Following the release of his book on October 13, Collin confessed in an interview that TLC was too "afraid" to step in and intervene.
When asked, "Do you think TLC should have stepped in?" he replied, "My mom hid a lot of what she did from some of the camera crew."
- Collin Gosselin Exposes Mom Kate's Diary Confession, Claims She 'Prayed' in Order to Stop 'Hitting' Him When He Was 2
- Kate Gosselin Is 'Nervous' About Estranged Son Collin's Book, Claims Insider: 'Going to Expose a Lot'
- 'Silenced' Collin Gosselin Ready to Tell All After Much of His Life Was 'Deliberately Hidden' on 'John & Kate Plus 8'
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
'One Thing Could’ve Changed Years of Torture and Suffering'

Collin Gosselin claimed there were 'adults who should have' said something.
"But not everything, and there was a lot [done] in front of adults who should have spoken up against her. But [they] would do nothing in the presence of my mom," Collin continued.
He claimed, "She was the master of the operation. Everybody was afraid of her. Because of that fear, I suffered for years. It really hurts me because one person saying one thing could’ve changed years of torture and suffering."
TLC has yet to publicly respond to Collin’s allegations.
'The Truth Is Finally Out'

Collin Gosselin said it feels 'very powerful' to be able to tell his story his way.
The star also shared what made him feel ready to share his story now.
"[I] lived that life for so long, and it literally feels like there’s something burning inside me, and I can never stop talking about it," Collin said, adding that the writing process has helped heal him. "I feel relief. The truth is finally out."
"Since I was very little, I knew there was something about my life that wasn’t quite right, and it would be something I’d tell others about," the Kate Plus 8 alum added.
Collin went on, "When I was an early teen, there were a lot of different [things about my life] being shared, but it wasn’t my voice. It wasn’t my story. For me to be able to tell my story [has been] very powerful. I still can’t believe I’ve done it. It’s a surreal moment."

