Kate Gosselin 'Spiraling' Ahead of Estranged Son Collin's Tell-All Memoir as He Vows to Expose 'Abuse' and Child Exploitation
Kate Gosselin is reportedly 'spiraling' ahead of the release of estranged son Collin Gosselin's memoir.
June 27 2026, Published 1:40 p.m. ET
Kate Gosselin is reportedly "spiraling" after learning her estranged son, Collin Gosselin, is preparing to publish a bombshell memoir detailing his childhood in one of reality TV's most famous families, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to a source close to the family, the former Kate Plus Eight star was blindsided by the announcement and fears the explosive tell-all could reignite years of bitter family drama when it hits shelves this fall.
'She Didn't Expect Any of This'
A source claimed Kate was blindsided by the memoir and 'didn't expect any of this to ever come out.'
"Kate had no idea this book was in the works," the insider claimed to Daily Mail. "Collin hasn't spoken to his mother since she abandoned him in an institution as a young child."
The source added that Kate "didn't expect any of this to ever come out" and is now "spiraling because she knows it's about to hit the fan."
While the reality star has reportedly insisted that any accusations made against her are based on "zero facts," the insider alleged that Collin believes he has "the evidence to back everything up" in his memoir.
"Kate can't stop this book from coming out, but I have no doubt she wishes she could," the source added.
Collin Promises to Tell 'The Story I've Lived'
Collin has vowed to expose alleged 'abuse, injustice, and the exploitation of children' in his upcoming tell-all.
Collin, 22, announced his memoir, In The Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, on Instagram last week. The book is scheduled for release on October 13.
"This isn't the story people think they know. It's the story I've lived," he wrote.
The former reality star said the memoir was not written for "entertainment," explaining, "It is a story to instill responsibility in everyone to advocate and speak up against abuse, injustice, and the exploitation of children."
He also reflected on growing up in the spotlight, writing, "Growing up, millions of people watched my life on television. People felt like they knew me. They knew my family. They watched me grow up. But there was so much they never saw."
"For years, I kept those experiences to myself. Some because I was afraid. Some because I didn't think anyone would believe me. And some because I just wasn't ready," he continued, adding that writing the book finally gave him "my voice."
Years of Public Family Feuds
The tell-all follows years of public family conflict between the former 'Jon & Kate Plus 8' stars.
The memoir follows years of public allegations made by Collin against his mother.
In interviews with Vice TV and The Sun, Collin alleged that Kate abused him, alienated him from his siblings, and had him placed in a mental health facility at age 11 after he was diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and bipolar disorder.
As an adult, Collin has said he was later re-evaluated by a clinical psychologist and found not to have any current psychiatric or behavioral disorders.
According to the family insider, several of Collin's siblings may also be caught off guard by the memoir because they were young when he was institutionalized and "don't really know the truth of what happened to him" beyond what they were told growing up.
Kate Denied the Allegations
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Kate has denied Collin's allegations, saying she placed him in a treatment facility after years of unsuccessful outpatient care.
Kate has repeatedly denied Collin's accusations.
In a previous statement, she said her son had received "multiple psychiatric diagnoses over the years" and that placing him in a treatment facility came only after years of outpatient care "proved insufficient for his needs."
"For the safety of myself, his brothers and sisters, and for his own well-being," she said, the decision was made to seek more intensive treatment.
She also disputed Collin's version of events, saying he has "a distorted perception of reality" and describing his claims as "complete fabrications."
"Unfortunately, I believe Collin remains a very troubled young man who continues to need a lot of help," Kate added at the time.
