Jon Gosselin’s GF Stephanie Lebo Denies Speaking to His Ex-Wife Kate Despite His Previous Comments

Although Jon Gosselin’s girlfriend, Stephanie Lebo, isn’t against communicating with his ex-wife, Kate Gosselin, she denied being on friendly terms with the mother of eight in a new interview.

“I am not on speaking terms with Kate,” Stephanie told The U.S. Sun in a conversation alongside her boyfriend on Tuesday, July 23. “But I am not against the idea of speaking to Kate, if the opportunity arises.”

Jon, 47, said it would be “great” if the opportunity with Kate, 49, arose as he and his girlfriend were “trying to build a relationship with the other kids.”

“And I think it’s important that we all become united and that it becomes a bigger, extended family,” the father of eight told the outlet. “But I’m not gonna have any opposition. If Steph decides to talk to Kate or Kate decides to talk to Steph.”

The Pennsylvania native said no “full-on conversations” had happened as of publication between his ex-wife and girlfriend, adding, “Like I said I’d be open to it, and nothing against it, but that’s false.”

Stephanie’s comments come a week after the Jon and Kate Plus 8 alum seemingly told a different story about his new girlfriend’s involvement with Kate and his estranged children — Aaden, Alexis, Joel, Leah, Mady, and Cara — who currently reside with their mother.

The former reality TV star is only on good terms with two of his children, Hannah and Collin. Four of the sextuplets, as well as twins Mady and Cara, don’t communicate with Jon. He mentioned that he hasn’t “said a word” to Kate since 2018.

“I know that Steph has talked to Kate, and I know that Steph has talked to my other kids. Just, like, through FaceTime and Hannah’s phone and stuff. Everything seems copacetic,” Jon explained on The Domenick Nati Show on July 18. “My other kids haven’t talked to me though. Maybe it’s just easier to talk with someone who is with me but not me.”

Jon considered himself an “open person” but felt due to the “scrutiny of everything that had transpired” it was easier for his ex and his estranged kids to speak with a “third party individual.” Although he clarified that Stephanie and Kate had only “just said hi,” his ex was curious about the new woman in his life as she knew their relationship was getting more serious.

“I think Kate sees this as a long term relationship and, you know, a marriage,” Jon told host Domenick Nati. “Maybe she just wanted to know the woman that’s influencing her children. I don’t know, maybe she’s just concerned, but it happened and transpired.”

Jon and Kate married in 1998 and welcomed eight kids during their 10-year marriage. After announcing their split in 2009, a messy custody battle ignited and Kate was granted full legal custody of all eight children while they shared physical custody.

Stephanie marked Jon’s second public relationship following his split from Kate, meeting her only a few months after his August 2021 split from Colleen Conrad.