Collin Gosselin Opens Up About Being ‘Forced Apart’ From His Siblings and Family Struggles

Kate and Jon Gosselin’s son Collin Gosselin is speaking out about the toll fame and family struggles took on his relationship with his seven siblings. In a heartfelt message posted to TikTok on August 7, the 21-year-old Jon & Kate Plus 8 alum shared rare insight into the challenges of growing up in the public eye — and the painful distance that has come between him and his brothers and sisters.

Alongside a throwback photo of himself and his siblings as young children, including twins Mady and Cara, now 24, and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Leah and Joel, Collin wrote, “Born to be a team, us against the world.” The post was set to Adele’s 2007 hit, “Hometown Glory,” adding an emotional backdrop to his words.

But his follow-up caption revealed the heartbreaking reality beneath the family’s public image: “Forced to do it alone, and wonder every day what our lives could’ve looked like. Forced apart, pitted against each other. All the fame and money in the world, but what about kids being kids?”

Collin continued, “I will always love them more than anything. The tears I shed behind closed doors, thinking about the memories we could’ve shared. I love you guys.”

Fans flocked to the comments to ask about Collin’s current relationships with his siblings. He shared a glimpse of his bond with sister Hannah, saying, “I just saw [Hannah] today! She was worried her car wouldn’t pass inspection so I was looking at it for her. She’s so funny and I love her [so much]. It makes my day whenever I see her, but we’re both so busy with work, school etc.”

However, Collin’s relationship with his mother, Kate, remains deeply strained. He revisited the abuse allegations he made last year, claiming he endured “physical and emotional abuse… while having to be an animal in her circus on TV.” He described horrific experiences, writing, “Being locked up, isolated, zip tied. Being sent away because I didn’t fit into an equation. Having one visit from her after being completely cut off with no contact at 12 years old, in which the whole visit was her telling me how I deserved the situation I was in because I ‘destroyed our family.’ Yeah I’m sorry, but I will never ‘understand’ that. I will break the cycle that she couldn’t.”

In an interview with The Sun last September, Collin went even further, alleging that Kate confined him in a locked room in their home, equipped with cameras and a tiny window, where he was “isolated” from his siblings.

Kate’s attorney, Richard Puleo, defended her, telling Fox News, “She never wants to comment because she always knows that this gets taken out of context. She doesn’t want to comment. Doesn’t need to. The record speaks for itself.”

Adding to the family drama, sister Mady publicly accused Collin of past physical threats and hateful behavior in a July 2023 Instagram post. “I do not owe my allegiance to any person(s) who has physically threatened me and every member of my immediate family (some incidents as recent as last year),” she wrote. “Further, I will never allow someone who has exhibited hateful and even violent behavior toward others based on their racial identity, gender identity, or religious beliefs to be in my life.”

The family’s turbulent history includes Jon and Kate’s divorce in 2009, with Kate awarded custody. In 2016, Kate sent Collin to a behavioral health institution in Philadelphia, citing his “unpredictable and violent behavior” at age 12. In 2018, custody was transferred to Jon for both Collin and Hannah.

Collin graduated high school in June 2023, alongside Hannah, and briefly pursued his dream of becoming a U.S. Marine before being discharged in August 2023. Despite the hardships, Collin remains hopeful for the future, saying, “I can’t wait to have kids and teach them the importance of siblings. I tell all my friends who have siblings to always value their siblings and hold each other close.”