Jon Gosselin Defends Son Collin Amid Family 'Chaos' — as Netflix to Explore Dark 'Jon & Kate Plus' Story in New Doc
Netflix is bringing a documentary focusing on Jon Gosselin's family
Oct. 23 2026, Published 5:09 a.m. ET
Jon Gosselin is pushing back against criticism over his handling of son Collin Gosselin's troubled childhood as the family's story returns to the spotlight in an upcoming Netflix documentary.
The former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star, 49, addressed questions about why he did not intervene sooner during an Oct. 21 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
His comments came shortly after Collin, 22, released his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, and Netflix announced a documentary featuring Jon, Collin, and daughter Hannah Gosselin.
Jon Gosselin Defends His Fight For Collin
Jon Gosselin opened up on the abuse suffered by his son
Jon argued that the timeline surrounding Collin's allegations is important, saying the alleged abuse occurred after he left Jon & Kate Plus 8 in November 2009.
"You have to look at the timeline here," Jon said, adding, "The abuse that Collin went under happened way after I left."
Jon said he had been fighting for custody of Collin and that his legal history demonstrates he was trying to protect his son. He was ultimately awarded sole legal and physical custody of Collin in 2018, after Kate did not appear at the custody hearing.
Jon also rejected Kate's recent references to mental illness when discussing Collin's allegations, saying, "She needs to stop. He is not mentally ill."
Collin has separately said an independent psychological evaluation he underwent in 2023 did not identify a mental health diagnosis.
Netflix Documentary Revisits Gosselin Family History
Netflix said that the doc will focus on the family from all the angles
Netflix announced Oct. 21 that production is underway on a documentary examining what happened to the family after its years in the reality-TV spotlight.
The film will feature interviews with Jon, Collin and Hannah and will examine conflicting accounts of the family's childhood, home life and time on television.
Mike Gasparro and Julia Willoughby Nason are producing the project for The Cinemart. Netflix has not announced a title or release date.
Jon & Kate Plus 8 premiered in 2007 and followed Jon and Kate raising their eight children, including twins and sextuplets. After their 2009 divorce, the series was renamed Kate Plus 8 and continued until 2017.
Jon said the documentary will help "fill in major gaps" in the family's timeline.
Collin Gosselin Details Allegations In Memoir
Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin divorced back in 2009
Collin's memoir, released Oct. 13, describes his version of life after his parents' divorce and includes allegations that Kate mistreated and isolated him.
He also recounts being placed in a residential treatment facility as a child before eventually moving in with Jon. Kate has denied abusing him and has defended the decision to place him in treatment as medically necessary.
The memoir has brought renewed attention to the fractured relationships within the family.
Hannah, who is also participating in the Netflix project, said Oct. 21 that she had not spoken with Collin in nearly a year and wanted to step away from the public dispute. Collin later disputed that account.
Kate Gosselin Responds To Collin's Claims
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Kate Gosselin has dismissed the abuse allegations in the past
Kate addressed the controversy in TikTok comments after posting about her dog. Responding to a supporter who defended her, she wrote, "I know rational logical ppl or anyone who has dealt with mental illness understands what's going on here :)."
She also said she had "nothing to do with it, except for consent because it was medically necessary."
Kate has previously denied intentionally harming Collin, while Jon has continued to defend his son's account.
