Dr. Phil Reacts to Collin Gosselin's Claim That He and TLC Offered Jon and Kate $2 Million to Save Their Marriage

Dr. Phil McGraw is pushing back against Collin Gosselin's claims about his parents Jon and Kate Gosselin’s marriage, which became the focus of their reality show, Jon & Kate Plus 8.

In his new memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, Collin, 22, alleged that his parents were offered $2 million by TLC in 2009 to remain together and maintain the appearance of a happy marriage for the cameras.

Collin also claimed that Dr. Phil was involved in delivering the proposed deal and “had a cozy alignment” with the network to help keep the reality TV franchise going.

Dr. Phil then released a statement, stressing that he and his production team had no professional stake in the TV series.

“Neither Dr. Phil nor anyone associated with the program, produced by CBS Studios, had any direct or indirect interest, financial or otherwise, in the show Jon and Kate Plus 8, which was independently produced by another network,” the statement said, per Us Weekly. “Neither Dr. Phil nor anyone associated with his show ever facilitated, encouraged, participated in, or knew anything about any payments to the Gosselins by the other network as alleged by their son Collin, who Dr. Phil has never met.”

“He was never asked to make or deliver any such payment nor did he do so. At no time did Dr. Phil have any vested interest in the Gosselins’ marriage nor the status of their marriage nor did he intercede to keep the couple together outside the few Dr. Phil programs, things which are publicly available and where he offered support in his typical role. The Gosselins were simply guests on the show, not unlike the other 20,000+ over 21 years,” the statement continued.

In his tell-all, Collin described what he believed was happening behind the scenes.

“While my parents were barely speaking and we kids were walking on eggshells, Dr. Phil was working with TLC to negotiate a deal to keep their marriage together for the cameras. Not for love or healing, but for the show, for the franchise,” he wrote.

“It was in everyone’s best interests — TLC, the production companies, the daytime talk circuit, the magazines — if my parents kept up a fake front,” he continued. “It was in the best interests of everyone except my family.”

He claimed the alleged arrangement changed how he viewed the events surrounding his parents' split.

“Knowing now, as an adult, that Dr. Phil had tried to pressure my parents into staying married for the cameras in order to salvage the show makes it all make sense in a way that feels both illuminating and heartbreaking,” he said. “Of course, as children we didn’t have that context.”

Jon and Kate announced their separation in June 2009, and their divorce was finalized that December. According to court filings, the marriage had begun to fall apart around October 2008, with Jon moving out by January 2009.

At the time, Jon pointed to the pressures of reality television and fame as factors in the breakdown of their relationship. Kate, meanwhile, cited what she described as "Jon’s activities," including changes in his lifestyle, purchases of cars and motorcycles, and staying out late, as reasons she felt she had to file for divorce.

The former couple rose to fame on Jon & Kate Plus 8, which followed their life raising eight children.