Collin Gosselin Shares Message to Estranged Siblings After Years Apart

Collin Gosselin is hoping for understanding.

As the Jon & Kate Plus 8alum’s memoir In The Shadow of Eight hits bookshelves, the 22-year-old candidly detailed the action he hopes his book might inspire in the six siblings with whom his relationship has been strained in recent years.

“I’m in this stage of my life now where I’m doing research,” he told E! News in an exclusive interview. “I’m pulling up all this documentation of everything from the past. And what I would tell them is to do your own research. The information’s out there, but you can’t always believe what you’ve been fed.”

Indeed, Collin—who has relationships with his dad Jon Gosselinand sister Hannah Gosselin but is otherwise estranged from his mom Kate Gosselinand his other siblings—hopes his side of the story sheds some new light on some of his siblings’ memories from their childhood. 

“I took what was spoon-fed to me by my mom for so long and ran with it,” he continued. “You just believe everything your mom tells you. So that’s what I did. But as an adult, I’ve done a lot of research and I would want them to know that.”

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Collin Gosselin Details Turning “Pain into Purpose” in Message to Younger Self Ahead of Memoir Release

He added, “Because for so long, especially after me being sent out of the home, she told them what she wanted them to believe about me.”

In fact, Collin hopes his memoir—in which he details alleged physical and verbal abuse from his mom, who for her part has previously called his allegations “ridiculous”—offers a new perspective for its readers, many of whom might think they know his story after watching the TLC show. 

“What I want people to keep in mind is that many times in these productions, a lot of things are happening behind the scenes and not being shown,” he explained. “So, everything that was seen, even if it was the ugly moments and viewers think it was quite bad, I mean imagine that to another level.”

“Everything was polished,” he continued. “And I just want people keep in my mind, especially when it comes to children, a lot of what we’re seeing—it’s not real. It is reality, but it is not real.”

As for his relationships with Jon and Hannah, Collin, whose mom had primary of him until 2018, is grateful his dad and sister are both in his life. 

“There was a lot of lost time to catch up for, especially with my father,” he said. “We didn’t know how to be father-son. And we worked really hard at it, and there were so many things to work on. And it’s just beautiful. We’re like best friends now, and we laugh and share a lot of the same hobbies, and it’s good.”

And while he can’t guarantee how his memoir will be received, especially among his family, Collin will never regret writing it.

“Telling my story was probably one of the most therapeutic things I’ve ever done,” he said. “I was scared to do so, and very nervous because you’re always nervous. You’re telling the story of a life you’ve lived and how people react and will they see me as damaged or broken?”

But despite his nerves, he affirmed, “It was the most therapeutic and liberating and freeing thing I’ve ever done.”

For a closer look at Collin’s history with his family, read on.

Kate Gosselin/Instagram

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