What The Cast Of Jon And Kate Plus 8 Are Doing Today
Note: This article discusses allegations of abuse.
TLC premiered some seriously bingeable shows back in the mid-'00s, including "What Not to Wear," "Say Yes to the Dress," and "LA Ink." While the wildly popular "Jon & Kate Plus 8" first aired in 2007 on Discovery Health, it soon joined TLC's drama-filled lineup. The show documented Jon and Kate Gosselin's lives in Pennsylvania as they raise their eight children: their older set of twins and the couple's sextuplets. Ultimately, the series only lasted three years and five seasons, as the untold truth of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" came to light.
It was announced in May 2009 that Jon had allegedly been having an affair, leading Kate to file for divorce shortly after. Their divorce was finalized in December of that year and Kate received custody of all eight children. Of course, TLC had to change gears, and come 2010, "Kate Plus 8" continued to chronicle the lives of the Gosselins, minus Jon, until 2017.
Controversy continued to surround the reality show family over the years, including further custody battles, Collin (one of the sextuplets) being institutionalized, and allegations of abuse thrown around. With the family having been tragically torn apart, it's been a long time since the Gosselins have been seen all together, leading fans to wonder what the cast of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" looks like today.
Jon Gosselin is focusing on his music
Since leaving "Jon & Kate Plus 8," Jon Gosselin has dipped his toes in a few professional industries. He returned to IT work, which he had been involved in before becoming a reality show star, working for companies like Bethany's Children's Home, a community health center, and Amazon. However, Jon has been working on his music career on the side, serving as a resident DJ at a kitchen and bar in Pennsylvania since 2015. He's often shared Instagram posts showcasing his love for performing, alongside captions like, "Do what you love," and "My happy place."
While it's clear Jon is keeping himself busy and has managed to find a successful path outside of television, it's clear that he's still had his struggles. In January 2021, he shared that he'd been hospitalized with COVID-19, and following his recovery, Jon has made it clear that he's still on the outs with many of his children.
In an August 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Jon revealed some tragic details about his relationship with his kids, saying, "I haven't talked to Mady and Cara for, oh I don't even know, over a decade. And then I haven't talked to Joel, Aaden, Leah, and Alexis for five years. ... At this point, they're adults now. So, I mean, I don't even know their phone numbers or stuff. Hannah went down there and talked to them. ... I've kind of just stuck with the kids that live here."
Kate Gosselin has moved to North Carolina
Since "Kate Plus 8" ended, it seems that Kate Gosselin has done her best to move on from the past. She sold her Pennsylvania home, which had been the setting of the reality show since she and Jon Gosselin purchased it in 2008, for $1.1 million in February 2021. She moved to a much smaller home in North Carolina, which she had purchased back in 2018 after she lost custody of Collin and Hannah Gosselin. Now that her remaining children have moved out, she lives on her own.
Kate had Collin hospitalized back in 2012 for his "special needs," but Jon removed him from treatment and regained custody of his son. In July 2023, following several accusations against her, Kate issued a statement to People in July 2023. "All measures that were taken in our home were at the explicit recommendation of [Collin's] pediatric psychiatrist and/or his team of specialists and were put into place to safeguard every member of our family," it read.
Despite all of the drama, Kate told People in January 2023 that she may still be open to finding love. "I will never say never because ... I don't know what it's going to feel like to be at home all the time by myself. Maybe I will end up being ... lonely. Let me just go hang out with a friend." When asked about her current love life, Kate replied, "I kind of stay to myself."
Cara Gosselin is living a private life
Since "Kate Plus 8" wrapped up in 2017, it's become rare to see Cara Gosselin in public, as she's been living a fairly private life. She has also long been known as the more reserved twin, with her sister Mady often taking over for her in interviews. While speaking with People about the strained relationship they have with their father Jon Gosselin in August 2016, Cara stated simply, "I wouldn't even know what to say about him."
After graduating from Lancaster Country Day School, where she played varsity lacrosse and field hockey, Cara enrolled at Fordham University to study interdisciplinary math and economics in New York. She joined the rowing team as a freshman and landed a spot on the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll. She graduated from college in 2023 and now works at Bank of America as a financial analyst.
It seems that Kate Gosselin is still very supportive of Cara and her twin, as she shared an Instagram post in October 2019 paying tribute to the girls. The caption read, "I love these kids fiercely ... and I don't apologize for my tears. Times have been so tough and so needlessly unfair for them. Despite it all, they've turned out to be such wonderful amazing human beings. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for each of them once they get away from those who have tried to destroy them versus protect them!"
Mady Gosselin is a content creator
Having spent the majority of her childhood in the spotlight, Mady Gosselin has learned how to answer difficult questions, especially considering the drama around her parents and siblings. During her August 2016 interview with People, she addressed her relationship with her father Jon, saying, "He should maybe spend some time thinking about why we don't want to see him, and maybe realize that if he ever does want a relationship with us, talking about us on TV is not the way to make that happen. ... He doesn't even know us."
Mady also spoke about the alleged behavior of her younger brother Collin in a July 2023 Instagram story. "I do not owe my allegiance to any person(s) who has physically threatened me and every member of my immediate family. ... I will never allow someone who has exhibited hateful and even violent behavior toward others ... to be in my life," she wrote.
Despite the unfortunate circumstances Mady has endured, she has come out the other side incredibly successful. She has managed to amass an impressive 238,000 followers on TikTok as of this writing and, throughout her career as a content creator, Mady has established partnerships with brands like OLIPOP, Prime Student, Jolie Skin Co, and more. After graduating from Syracuse University in 2023 with a degree in English film and screen studies, Mady secured a role with Bubble as their commercial coordinator and social media associate.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Alexis Gosselin came out as gay
In May of 2004, Alexis Gosselin was the first of the sextuplets to be born and is three minutes older than Joel, the youngest. Like many of her siblings, she has mostly kept out of the public eye since "Kate Plus 8" ended, but she has revealed some details about her life including her future aspirations. During a 2016 interview with People, she enthused, "I'm definitely going to work with animals someday." A few years later, in June 2019, Kate Gosselin corroborated Alexis' love of animals in a cute Instagram post of her daughter and a pet bird. "Alexis and Zorro. The best of friends!" the caption read.
Alexis has also been open about her sexuality, which she spoke more about in a TikTok Live with some of her sisters in April 2023. "I had told all my friends, I had told all my favorite teachers. ... I was kind of stressed about [telling my family]. I was just really anxious about it and it sounds awful, but after a while I think the anxiety got at me. Then I told family and it's not that bad. What I said was, 'I've always been [gay] and it doesn't change who I am. It's not going to change me, so you've always known this part of me. I just didn't specifically tell you.' Most of my siblings knew," she said. In another video, Leah Gosselin confirmed that their mom is supportive of her kids' relationships.
Hannah Gosselin started a beauty line
The Gosselin family includes many ambitious women including Hannah Gosselin, who established herself as a businesswoman at just 18 years old. In a May 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hannah announced the release of Gosselin Girl, her beauty line, saying, "I am dropping a product line and it is a bunch of skincare and I'm very excited about it. ... I've always had this big dream of being the business manager, like, I want to own my own business and succeed because of me." Hannah also said she's hoping to pay for college with any money she earns.
Gosselin Girl includes organic face creams, masks, travel kits, and jewelry that have been carefully curated, but unfortunately, Hannah has faced some hurdles in terms of getting the brand off the ground. Diane Simon, CEO of the company, spoke with Ok! Magazine in October 2022 about how Jon Gosselin has been "interfering" with his daughter's work, going as far as to use Hannah's Entertainment Tonight interview as an outlet to rehash his issues with Kate Gosselin. "I feel so bad for the kid. She's such a nice girl. I've witnessed some concerning behavior from [Jon]. ... Just the dynamic on how he operates with Hannah ... [He] doesn't have any regard for Hannah's best interest," Simons explained.
Aaden Gosselin has kept to himself
While his parents (and many of his siblings) have been feuding publicly, Aaden Gosselin has maintained a very low profile. He quickly became a favorite on the show with his cheeky smile and big glasses, but little is known about him today.
The primary way many fans of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" have kept up with the cast members is through Kate Gosselin's social media, which she has often used to show pride in her children. In December 2017, Kate shared an Instagram snap of Aaden when he was little, alongside a caption that read, "I'm sorry ... but where has this little guy gone? My 4 year old little professor is all grown up! Talk about 'edible'! I adore his sweet, kind, loving, sensitive self! And he's so thoughtful and helpful!"
Aaden's mom also shared a sweet Instagram post in July 2020 to announce that Aaden had gotten his braces off. Kate had created a tradition of throwing her kids a "braces off party" to celebrate the milestone, complete with a cake and candy, and Aaden was the last one in the family to become braces-free.
Collin Gosselin joined the Marines
Collin Gosselin is perhaps the most-discussed of his siblings, as controversy swarmed his family when Kate Gosselin sent him to Fairmount Behavioral Health Institute at 12 years old. She claimed that Collin had "special needs," but her son responded with allegations, telling Vice that Kate sent him away before he could tell others of her abuse. Jon Gosselin regained custody of him, but was soon after accused by his son of physical abuse as well in a since-deleted post on social media, further complicating the tragic details around Collin's circumstances.
While speaking with Entertainment Tonight in November 2022, Collin revealed that his relationship with Kate Gosselin has never recovered since she placed him in an institution. "After being [institutionalized], I didn't have a relationship with her. Even before [being] there, I don't think we had much of a relationship and I think that just kept tearing it even more down. ... I want to believe it was because of TV and what being in the public eye does to a family. I think it tore us apart." Collin said he wasn't sure what his mom's motivation was during that time, but he was just trying to survive the situation.
Collin has since enlisted in the Marine Corps, which he shared in an Instagram post in June 2023. He shared that he plans to eventually study mechanical and industrial engineering.
Leah Gosselin hopes her mom will find love again
Despite growing up on television and enduring the drama in her family, Leah Gosselin seems to have settled into a pretty normal life. After her mother's divorce, she seemed to be optimistic about the prospect of having a stepfather, according to an interview Kate Gosselin did with E! News in January 2015.
When asked whether she would ever marry again, the reality star shared specifically that Leah was encouraging of it. "My kids still talk about it all the time. Our microwave broke like a week or so ago, and I was trying to take it out, you know, it's like mounted into the thing, and I was trying to get it out and the kids were eating dinner and I have my screwdriver out and Leah said, 'And this is another perfect example of why you should get married again!'" she said.
Leah has enrolled in college and developed a love of baking, which she shares with her nearly 30,000 followers on TikTok (as of this writing). Some of Leah's videos include showing off her delicious baked goods, like cookies, focaccia, and cake, as well as appreciation posts she has made for her friends and an inside look at her dorm room.
Joel Gosselin is attending college
The youngest of the "Jon & Kate Plus 8" clan is Joel Gosselin, who has officially grown up and moved out to attend college, along with his other siblings. According to his LinkedIn page, Joel attends the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, with a predicted graduation year of 2027, and has yet to decide on his major. Like many of his siblings, he also keeps a low profile.
Watching the sextuplets grow up is definitely enough to make fans of the reality show feel old. We're not the only ones to be amazed at how quickly the stars of the show have grown up, as Kate Gosselin shared an Instagram post in May 2019 to celebrate her kids' 15th birthdays. "I'm amazed by them each day! I'm so proud of the positive qualities I've seen developing as they edge closer to adulthood. It hasn't been easy for them, especially over the last year and a half, but they continue to persevere, stay positive, and make lemonade out of lemon," she wrote.