Over the years, we've watched Jon Gosselin have a lot of ups and downs. From the days we saw him raising his family on Jon & Kate Plus 8, through his divorce from Kate Gosselin — to his custody battle for his kids, Hannah and Collin — and everything in between … so much has happened since the show began airing more than a decade ago. And as far as we can tell, the drama isn't going away anytime soon — and neither is the public back and forth Jon and Kate are still engaged in, all these years later.
Jon may have walked away from reality TV (likely for good) years ago, but he's still a presence for those who follow along with him and his family on social media, and lately, he's been making headlines all over again. But so much has happened since we first met the Gosselins in the early 2000s, and it's easy to lose track of it all, especially when it comes to what's going on with him and his relationship with his kids.
Here's everything to know about Jon, his past, and what his life is like today. Following the Gosselins has been a roller-coaster for fans who have been so invested in their family, and it doesn't seem like that's going to change anytime soon.
Big Claim to Fame: Reality TV
Jon's major claim to fame is Jon & Kate Plus 8, the reality series that followed a couple of TV specials about Jon and Kate's large family. Given that they were the parents of sextuplets, these two were a big deal, and as they raised their family, people were fascinated to see them in action.
… until the divorce turned the show into Kate Plus 8 instead.
Messy Divorce From Kate
… and that's putting it lightly! When Jon and Kate split up in 2009, the rumor mill was working overtime. In 2016, Kate told People that Jon started staying out late, making big purchases like motorcycles and cars, and seemed checked out of their marriage. In fact, she even said it was like he had suddenly become a different person, and she's accused him of cheating in the past.
Cheating Allegation Denial
Jon has denied that he ever cheated on Kate — multiple times at that — over the years. During a 2016 appearance on The Steve Harvey show, he admitted that he quit the show just so he'd be able to end his marriage to Kate sooner — and without filming it.
"We knew we were going to get divorced, and then the network tried to keep us together for the benefit of the show, so I quit," he said at the time, reports In Touch. "I said, 'I'm not having my divorce filmed. I'm not having it aired out for the public's consumption. And I'm not having reruns so my children can keep on watching the demise of their parent.' … I just took a moral stance versus a business stance. I lost everything. I lost all my money."
Waiting Tables After Reality Stardom
Without the income from the show, Jon needed a way to make money, and he wasn't too proud to take whatever job he could get — including waiting tables. In 2013, he worked as a waiter at the Black Dog restaurant (a job he said he really enjoyed), and a few years later, he worked part-time at T.G.I.Fridays in the kitchen, as he has a love for cooking.
Professional DJ
With his life on reality TV behind him, Jon was able to discover one of his passions: music. Jon became a professional DJ and would host his own club nights. Not only would he keep the party going close to home, but Jon also traveled all over the country for DJ gigs, though it seems like he's doing less of that lately.
Subject of a Scary Break-In
In 2009 — not long after he and Kate went their separate ways — Jon's NYC apartment was broken into, and ex-girlfriend Hailey Glassman was rumored to have been behind it. According to Us Weekly, whoever broke in ended up causing over $100,000 worth of damage to Jon's belongings, and the scene itself was pretty scary.
"This is no minor incident," his rep told the magazine at the time. "The police are investigating. He walked into his apartment and it was a disaster. The couch was cut up, his kids' Wii is missing, his blu ray DVD player is gone, the pots and pans are gone, the couch was sliced up, all of his clothes and shoes are all sliced and torn up. And the knives were left in there."
Couples Therapy Appearances
In 2014, Jon went on the VH1 series Couples Therapy with his girlfriend at the time, Liz Jannetta — although ultimately, they did end up breaking up not long after the show. On the show, Jon talked a lot about his marriage to Kate and how that's colored his relationships since then.
… and let's just say it was all pretty negative.
Dating a Blast From His Past
Jon and his current girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, have been dating since 2015, and after more than five years together, it seems like they're both in it for the long haul. Colleen is a nurse and a single mom who has two kids of her own, and she seems to love Jon's kids, too. They all celebrate holidays as one happy, blended family.
Fighting for Custody of Collin & Hannah
It was a long journey that involved a lot of money and time spent in courtrooms, but eventually, Jon was able to get custody of two of his children: Hannah and Collin. Hannah came first, and then, in 2018, Jon was able to get both sole physical and legal custody of Collin after he left a treatment center that mom Kate had sent him to for his reported "special needs."
Estranged From the Rest of His Kids
Though Collin and Hannah now live with him full-time, Jon is estranged from the rest of his children and has said that he hasn't seen them all together in years. In fact, in an interview with DailyMailTV from last year, he admitted that he was scared for his kids who still live with Kate after hearing what her house is really like from Hannah and Collin.
Trying to Keep His Kids Off TV for Years
… although, more recently, we know that Kate was reportedly fired from TLC for violating orders put into place that require her to get Jon's permission to film with them. Jon has been trying to get them away from the cameras for a long time. In fact, going back to 2009, he demanded that filming stop on the show — while he and Kate were going through their divorce — it seems like that's still just as important to him today.
Working in a Health Care Facility
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2020, Jon revealed that he's been working as an IT director in health care — the same field as his girlfriend.
"We see the undocumented and uninsured. We're doing telemedicine and telephonic, and we're using Ring Sensual for Zoom to see patients. So we're not physically seeing patients right now," he said. "My job was to set up and teach providers, which are doctors, on how to use telemedicine. So I developed a procedure rather quickly and my boss, the CIO, bought software that we never used before. I had to learn it in five, six hours."
Issues With Kate
Over the last year, Jon hasn't held back when it comes to his feelings on ex Kate — even saying during an interview on The Doctor Oz Show that he's had to "reparent" his kids after they moved in with him — and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Jon also accused Kate of having personality disorders, along with having an addiction to fame.
Still on Bad Terms With Kate
Even today, Jon and Kate don't speak. It appears they only communicate via their lawyers — and the press, since they both do interviews talking about each other, their custody issues, and their former marriage pretty regularly. They're definitely not friendly coparents, that's for sure, and it doesn't seem like they ever were.
Collin Has Accused Jon of Abuse
In an Instagram post on his private account he later deleted, Collin said that Jon "beat" him and called him a "liar." Allegedly, Jon "put him in a headlock, punched him square in the nose, and when Collin fell to the ground, then he kicked him in the ribs." But after an investigation by the Berks County Children & Youth Services in Pennsylvania, the agency was able to determine that the report was unfounded.
Jon Denies Abusing Collin
When the investigation into Collin's claims went public, Jon's rep released a statement to Entertainment Tonight, denying all claims of abuse and sharing that no charges had been filed against him.
"Jon has never abused Collin. No charges have been filed against him and there’s no ongoing Children & Youth Services investigation," said his rep. "Collin has endured severe trauma. Jon is a loving father who has worked hard to ensure that his son gets the support and help he needs."
Kate Has Been Speaking Out About Jon
In an interview with People, Kate called Jon a "violent and abusive person," and shared her thoughts on Collin's accusations with the site.
Kate alleges:
"I learned of this incident from CYS, and through them I was then read multiple reports — from the police report, to Collin's statement to the police, to the account of an adult eyewitness. They were all very similar, if not identical. Until I receive the letter from CYS about whether they've deemed the allegations founded or not, it's ongoing. My contact at CYS has not told me otherwise. If this doesn't qualify as assault, I don't know what does."
