Jon And Kate Gosselin Don't Agree On The Reason They Got Divorced
Jon and Kate Gosselin used to paint the picture of a perfect marriage — until they didn't. The former couple famously starred in "Jon & Kate Plus 8" in the 2000s, with their eight kids comprising twins and sextuplets. Audiences were inspired by how the two managed to raise such a huge family of same-aged children, which is why the show became one of the most popular programs on TV during its heyday.
But the show was also where fans witnessed Jon and Kate's relationship meet its demise. In 2009, only a year after they publicly renewed their vows, they announced that they were divorcing after a decade of marriage. "Over the course of this weekend, Jon's activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children," Kate said in a statement at the time, according to People. Jon, for his part, shared a statement of his own, saying that despite calling it quits, their priority was the well-being of their children. "My job is being the best, most supportive and loving father that I can be to my kids, and not being married to Kate doesn't change that." He even admitted that they had been having problems for a while.
Despite remaining vague in her statement, the "weekend" Kate spoke of in her statement is likely a reference to the time Jon was photographed leaving a bar with a woman while she was on tour promoting her book. Infidelity rumors arose soon after, which Jon repeatedly denied. In fact, he said that it was Kate who had been unfaithful.
Jon and Kate accused each other of having affairs
It was February 2009 when Jon and Kate Gosselin's image of having the perfect partnership came crumbling down. At the time, Jon had been spotted hanging out with college girls from a school near their former marital home in Pennsylvania. It happened again in April 2009 when he was seen leaving a bar with a 23-year-old school teacher.
Kate chose to turn a blind eye to the rumors then, telling Today that she was "hesitant to believe" any of the accusations that were flung at them. Jon also shared a statement denying all the allegations but admitted that he had exhibited poor judgment. "The bottom line is, I did not cheat on Kate," he clarified, per CNN.
Over a decade following the divorce, however, Jon spoke with ET and revealed that the network had concealed the actual reason behind their separation. "Why did the divorce happen? Because a certain person left me for a certain somebody," he told the outlet. "I knew... I was like, 'End it.'" As to who Kate was cheating on him with? She was previously rumored to have had an affair with her former bodyguard, but like Jon, she vehemently fought back against the claims. "Already the allegations they're making about me are disgusting, unthinkable, unfathomable, and I am horrified," she told People in 2009.
Jon blamed Kate for wanting to continue the show but Kate said he was just jealous
In the same ET interview, Jon Gosselin revealed that a couple of seasons into "Jon and Kate Plus 8," he mentally checked out of the show and realized that it was no longer what he wanted. He also came to the realization that it was harmful to the kids, but Kate had a different perspective.
"I thought in the fourth season that I was moving towards divorce, because I thought I wanted to leave the show, and she wanted to continue on the show, and that is what happened anyway," he said. "It was getting more commercialized. ... I felt like she wanted to be this big, big star on TV and continue on and use the kids to film and create this enterprise. I felt that if you wanted to do TV, you should just kept doing TV on your own and let them be kids. We just had a difference of opinion." Meanwhile, Kate thinks Jon was just insecure. After all, she told People that he was feeling unsure about himself prior to their divorce. "I have always made more money than Jon," she explained to the outlet. "That doesn't bother me at all ... But it obviously, at this point, really matters to him."
Ultimately, though, Jon said that fame changed Kate for the worse. "I believe her intentions, in the beginning, were good intentions. Bringing kids into the world that she fought to have these kids," he shared in an interview on "The Dr. Oz Show," adding, "But I think once fame and money got involved, it twisted her belief system."