TLC Halts 'Jon & Kate Plus 8' Production, Jon Talks Split Logistics

NEW YORK — Jon and Kate Gosselin are barely speaking.

They're separating and getting a divorce _ the latest twist on their hit TLC series, "Jon & Kate Plus 8."

They couldn't even see eye-to-eye on where to install their children's new playhouses out in the yard, as viewers witnessed on Monday night's show.

But there's one thing Jon and Kate can agree on: The reality series that has made them stars, along with plaguing their family with tabloid scrutiny and scandalmongering, will continue.

Will viewers agree to keep watching?

They watched in record-breaking numbers Monday. The audience of 10.6 million beat the huge "Jon & Kate" season premiere a month ago by 800,000 viewers.

In separate on-camera segments, the Gosselins clearly sized up the show as a good thing for them as well as for their kids _ 5-year-old sextuplets and 8-year-old twins, who both parents repeatedly identify as their top priority.

And while retaining their expansive home in southeastern Pennsylvania, the estranged couple seemed reconciled to a future of taking turns living there with their children.

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"We interview separately, we'll film different things," Jon explained on Monday's episode. "Me and the kids, her and the kids."

Elaborating on those plans in an e-mailed response to questions posed on Tuesday, Gosselin said he and Kate expected to spend "about equal time with our children at home in Pennsylvania.

"On days when I am with them, Kate will make arrangements to stay elsewhere. And when Kate is with the kids, I will make other arrangements. We know that this is the right decision. The kids love our home, and I am happy that they will be staying there."

Also in the e-mail, he repeated his denial of tabloid allegations that he cheated on Kate.

"I did not have an affair," he declared.

With the changes in the lives of the shows' co-stars, the show will remake itself accordingly.

Yet to be determined: Whether a broken family will hit home with the devoted fans of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," which began as a chronicle of home life for a busy mega-family.

Will "Jon & Kate Plus 8" divided by 2 equal nothing? Or will it (in show-biz terms) "open up" the series, even paving the way for some kind of spinoff series? How about "Jon Minus Kate Plus 8 Half the Time, With a New Romantic Squeeze and Even More Kids Thrown In"?

"I have a new chapter in my life," Jon said on Monday's show. "I'm only 32 years old. I really don't know what's gonna happen."

Expanding a TV franchise has paid off handsomely for such established shows as "Law & Order" and "Crime Scene Investigation."

A new, souped-up version of "Jon & Kate" starring Kate and the kids could be in the cards.

"I don't really want to be alone," Kate said. "I don't want to do this alone."

As TLC's biggest hit, the show _ however it adapts to the Gosselins' new game plan _ is a valuable commodity.

In a statement Tuesday, TLC president Eileen O'Neill said the network "continues to support the Gosselin family and will work closely with them to determine the best way to continue to tell their story as they navigate through this difficult time."

The network announced that a retrospective of Jon and Kate's 10-year marriage would air next Monday, followed by a hiatus until Aug. 3. During that break, "the family will take some time off to regroup, and then a modified schedule will be in place to support the family's transition," the network said.

Meanwhile, the Gosselins were a hot topic on "The View" Tuesday morning. Co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck said the show should end and that Kate Gosselin should "get a job" and that the reality show was "not healthy for the kids."

Barbara Walters, the only member of "The View" who acknowledged watching the show, summed up, "If you have more than five children, you shouldn't be allowed to get divorced."

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Associated Press Writer Michael Rubinkam in Allentown, Pa., contributed to this report.

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TLC is owned by Discovery Communications, LLC.

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On the Net:

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/jon-and-kate/jon-and-kate.html

Comments

[Jenn Riehl]

I am astounded by the amount of people out there who place all of the blame of this marriage breakup on Kate. Why in this society do we give free passes to grown men who decide one day...this is too much I am going to go be a teenager again. I am certain Kate is who she is and was the same the day they got married. Jon was quite happy and asked Kate to marry him. But now after insensitive so called friends and people riding Jon about being whipped by Kate, he decides yeah I am more important than Kate and the kids. I'm out of here.
This is a big problem all over North America just look at the statistics of how many single mothers are out there.
It is about time men started acting like men again and taking their commitments seriously. It is so sad for the kids. Jon has decided to be a teenager again with all his new toys and leave the kids and Kate in his wake.
It seems to me that this probably could have been avoided if Jon kept his IT job.

[RoadCrossingChicken]

I cannot beleive that this woman still thinks that the public believes she is a "hands on" mom. Someone let her know that the cat is out of the bag. Everyone knows about all the nannies, nurses, baby sitters, etc, etc, etc...
I watched one show where they took the kids to see Thomas the Train. Kate was complaining about the fact that there were so many people waiting in line and how hard it would be... well, you tell me any other family with lots of kids that got #1 moved to the front of the line as soon as they got there, and #2 then had the train all to themselves?????

No wonder everyone who lives around them hates them.

[ReesieKitty]

What about their poor kids? What I am absolutely amazed at, is that the state of PA has not appointed a Guardian ad Litem to look after the interests of these children, as their parents are obviously NOT placing the children's emotional well-being ahead of their own financial interests. I got divorced a few years ago, when my son was around the age the Gosslin kids are now. Even a polite, amiable breakup is INCREDIBLE hard on a child. It is absolutely abusive to force these children to maintain their 'public' TV show personas during this mess. The network should not be permitted to keep filming, regardless of what the parents say they want. I work in the advertising industry- if Jon and Kate really had wanted to make sure their children had money for college, etc. there are so many other ways they could have done individual advertisements or product endorsements, etc. that would have been healthier and much less invasive for these poor kids. The Jackie Coogan law needs to be updated to protect minors whose parents force them onto reality tv for financial gain.

[bogues]

I have enjoyed watching this show from the beginning and it saddened me to see the marriage fall apart. I really cannot see the show surviving this and while I understand the monetary reasons for continuing it, I think on a human level it should end now and this family should return to life before the cameras. More than likely that will not bring about a reconciliation but it will put an end to the daily destruction that is taking place now.

[maribelle1963]

To all readers who care about these children, do the kindest thing possible:

STOP WATCHING.

[KayCo]

TLC, please cancel the show. Maybe there were underlying issues but the show did little to strenthen the bonds within this family.

I was never a fan, maybe due to the fact that I have 2 children under the age of 10 and the thought of quadrupling the chaos at my house scared me more than the disembodied voices on "Ghost Hunters". However, since they chose to have all these children, did they plan to actually RAISE them, without the assistance of nannies, personal trainers(Kate is wearing a bikini, after having once carried 6 children in her belly, she's not fooling everyone), hair and makeup artists, the million dollar home and the cameras. Many people want to have children to love and nurture them...not use them as props to be on a reality show...By the way, Jon & Kate's lives, in reality, is not reality for most American families.

[harriettubman]

Be forwarned, this new show will work like the $2.00 bill did. By next year this show will be cancelled. Besides the divorce announcement, ratings were already sliding. These people better get a grip and figure out how to pay for their mansion and all those kids. The millions they've made will go toward raising those children and college. No more avish, multiple splurges/vacations, nannies and unrealistic shows.

[RoadCrossingChicken]

I hope every word you posted comes to pass.

[jbunyon]

Nice hair Kate. What did they use to cut it? A baseball bat?

[RoadCrossingChicken]

a rat tied to the end of a board.

[jbunyon]

10.6 million? WTF!!! My wife watches the show because she is a therapist and loves watching people. She love the little kids and says they are funny. Personally the show makes me nauseous. I think the kids are a little annoying and will only be carbon copies of their twisted and blind parents. Oh look he crying and whining about something. Go to a day care if it's so interesting. Mark my words these kids will be on magazine cover with their jail mug shots. Please go away so I can hate on the next reality show. Do Americans have a life? Kill your TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[clemenj98]

Remember when "The Learning Channel" had all those cool programs that are now relegated to the Science Channel? What Not to Wear is the only show i ever watch on that network, but i would be completely happy to see the network overhaul their programming again and returned to actual educational programming. You know, shows that didn't involve showing us how NOT to raise your kids!

[ladyahani]

I actually think the show is fascinating. Besides the very cute kids (and kids are so interesting, really, to the commenter above, I think I would be quite entertained sitting at a daycare---it's a personal preference, I guess), it's interesting, and instructive (I think) to watch Jon and Kate parent. As an example, I'm thinking of Kate's creative way of getting the kids to clean up--because they can't read, she draws pictures of toys and affixes them to their particular storage areas. Seeing moments like these, it just really strikes me how creative an endeavour parenting is. And how difficult it is, especially given that people don't suddenly become perfect upon having children... Gives me new found appreciation for my parents (and compassion for their mistakes).

[bittles]

Remember the show is for" the kids", never mind the milliion dollar house,cars,motorycles,personal trainer,tanning,plastic surgery,spa days,ski vacations, shopping it's ALL for the kids!

[Jan Corthell]

million dollar house - where else would they house 10 people?
cars - other than Jon's latest purchase, the van transports the kids! and they own a mini-van!
motorcycles - given to them by Paul from the Choppers show!
personal trainer - aren't they entitled to live a 'fit' lifestyle?
tanning - people with less money tan all the time!
plastic surgery - donated to Kate by viewers/medical doctors!
spa days - she's taken her girls with her many times!
ski vacations - something fun for the kids to do!
shopping - every family shops!

[ladyahani]

A-men. My parents took us on lots of vacations, and sure, they must not have been totally opposed to seeing those places themselves...but no doubt it was probably a 75-25 deal, (or at least 50 for us, 50 for them). They wanted to give us those experiences as much as they might have wanted them for themselves. And frankly, again, they probably wouldn't have gone to all those children's museums and amusement parks for themselves..;)

[Rangergirl]

This show should not come back....The children should not continue to be exploited by the parents...It is time to think of them ...They are going to be suffering for a good while about the parents splitting.

[beejcctx]

Please folks - these kids are nothing more than the modern equivalent of the Dionne Quintuplets: with every moment videotaped for the cameras and shown pretty 24/7 every where. The show went from being fairly sweet to this train wreck because the parents seem to be greedy.

Did they really NEED a 1.1 MILLION mansion? $1,600/day bodyguard for the wife? Will these poor kids ever see a PENNY of the money their childhood's earned? Not to mention, if we're seeing the birth mother on every magazine and news show or out signing autographs, and the birth father is out drinking - who IS REALLY PARENTING THOSE KIDS? Paid help. Sad, sad, sad.

ALL CHILDREN IN ENTERTAINMENT - whether scripted or not - need the SAME compensations across the board in all 50 states - as California enacted, along with a new version of "Coogan's Law" to protect their earnings.

FREE THE GOSSELIN EIGHT!!!!

[Katie5]

I have watched the programme a couple of times. *Aghast* Is Kate really like that?The way she comes across?

[nininenenana]

Kate's backwards mullet irks me. Maybe give John some for hairplugs for men. Wish them the best though.