Jon and Kate in happier times. (AP Photo/TLC, Mark Arbeit)
The father of the children on “Jon & Kate Plus 8” says it’s “not healthy” for his kids to continue appearing on the TLC reality show.
Jon Gosselin says he had “an epiphany one day” and realized his 5-year-old sextuplets and 8-year-old twins shouldn’t be filmed at the family’s Pennsylvania home while their parents are going through a divorce.
Gosselin’s comments came during an hourlong interview on CNN’s “Larry King Live” Thursday.
TLC network has shut down filming of the children on “Jon & Kate Plus 8” after receiving a cease-and-desist order from Gosselin.
In a statement, the network said production would remain suspended “pending further conversations” between both Gosselins. Filming not directly involving the kids is ongoing, TLC said Thursday.
“It appears that Jon’s priority is Jon and his interests,” his estranged wife, Kate Gosselin, said in a statement on Thursday. “My priority remains our children and their well being.”
Jon Gosselin says that though his family has earned $1 million for appearing on the show, he wants production “to stop completely.” He told King that, in retrospect, he wishes his family hadn’t done the show at all.
Gosselin’s attorney, Mark Heller, also appeared on King’s show Thursday.
“This man doesn’t care about the money. He doesn’t care about the show,” Heller said of his client, adding that “the priority should be the well-being of the family.”
Gosselin said he posted a sign outside the family home prohibiting TLC’s production crew from entering or filming on the property.
Wed for a decade, the Gosselins filed for divorce in June, after weeks of reports of marital discord and infidelities, which both spouses denied. The couple made their separation official on a “Jon & Kate” episode seen by 10.6 million viewers.
But the series, which premiered two years ago, had originally clicked with viewers for its heartwarming look at the challenges of raising eight young children.
In her statement, Kate Gosselin said, “I’m saddened and confused by Jon’s public media statements. Jon has never expressed any concerns to me about our children being involved in the show and, in fact, is on the record as saying he believes the show benefits our children and was taping on Friday with the kids.”
Jon Gosselin denied participating in the Friday taping, telling King, “I don’t know Kate’s filming schedule.”
He said he hasn’t spoken to his estranged wife in more than three weeks but that he wants to become friends with her and “figure out our marriage.”
“We know we’re not going to be husband and wife anymore, but we’re always going to be mom and dad,” Gosselin said.
On Monday, TLC announced that the weekly series would be renamed “Kate Plus Eight,” with a reduced involvement by Jon Gosselin, though he remains under “an exclusive contract” with TLC.
In her statement, Kate Gosselin said, “I do the show for my family because I believe it provides us opportunities we wouldn’t otherwise have. Jon used to share that belief until as recently as the day the network announced the name change of the show and indicated that Jon would have a lesser role in the show.”
Jon Gosselin said he wasn’t notified in advance of the show’s name change and was “totally shocked” by it.
“I found out just like everyone else, on the AP news wire,” he said. He told King repeatedly Thursday that he has made mistakes and needs to learn from them.
“I need to be a father,” he said, “and I need to take my kids off the show.”
___
TLC is owned by Discovery Communications, LLC.
___
On the Net:
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
