Jon Gosselin Reveals What He Regrets About His Divorce from Kate Gosselin & Opens Up About the Relationship with His Estranged Children

At this point, Jon speaks to Dr. Oz more than most of his kids.

After facing yet another health scare just months after he was hospitalized for COVID-19, Jon Gosselin is again reflecting on the fractured relationships he has with six of his eight children, as well as his past with ex-wife, Kate Gosselin

The former Jon and Kate Plus Eight star sat down with Dr. Oz Friday to discuss his heath, less than two months after he revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis on the show. During the interview, Jon explained to Dr. Oz that he recently went to his doctor complaining of severe leg and chest pain. It was discovered that Jon had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot, which had developed in his leg. 

Dr. Oz detailed the severity of Jon’s blood clot diagnosis and went on to ask the father of eight what his biggest regret would have been had he died in the hospital. Surprisingly, Jon said he had regrets about his divorce from Kate.

Obviously…

“My biggest regret would have been changes I made before divorce,” he said. “I probably still would have got divorced but I probably would have tried to have been like, ‘hey let’s just more stay in contact’ … I would have made it more adamant maybe through the court system or something like that.” 

While Jon maintains custody of two of his and Kate’s sextuplets (Hannah and Collin) he has spoken many times over the years about the strained relationship he has with his other six kids. On Friday, he told Dr. Oz he never thought he’d be in a place where his children are not speaking to him.

“Well we never thought we’d have to appear on our mom’s dating show, but it didn’t stop that crazy train from leaving the station.”

“I thought we’d always be close…but that didn’t pan out the way I thought it would pan out,” he said. 

After publicly revealing his COVID-19 diagnosis and hospital experience in January, Jon said he did not hear from his four children that live with Kate, nor did he hear from his twins who are currently away at college. Jon explained to Dr. Oz why he believes none of his estranged children reached out to him after his interview aired. 

“There’s just a disconnect … whether it’s parent alienation or you know, I can’t really reach out to them and there’s legalities,” he said. “I can’t like go to where they move, you know? It’d be trespassing and those kinds of things, so I mean, I guess my plight to them or what I want to say is I love you, my door is always open, you’re welcome anytime. There’s no regrets or hard feelings or any of those negative things … you can always come see me or come see Hannah and Collin.” 

As for Hannah and Collin’s relationship with their mother, Jon claims Hannah hasn’t seen Kate in a year or two, while Collin hasn’t seen Kate “in years.” 

“It’s been a long time,” he said. 

As Jon has mentioned before, Collin and Hannah were “a little upset” that they were not given the opportunity to do a walkthrough of their old home before Kate put it on the market last year. The house recently sold and though Jon said Collin “works next door” to the home and sees it everyday, he “didn’t really express anything” after the house was purchased by new owners. 

Although all of his children are not on speaking terms with him, Jon said he does keep track of them through social media – sometimes through people sending him things on Facebook or Instagram. 

“I think back in the day it was difficult like, ‘How am I going to get in touch with them or how am I going to see them?’ But with social media and the way it’s integrated into adolescents lives, it’s just so much easier to see those kind of things,” he said. 

“Please remind me to set my social media profiles to private.”

During Friday’s show, Dr. Oz presented Jon with the question he said he is asked most often about the father of eight: why isn’t Jon making an effort to reach out to his kids himself? 

Let’s be honest, we we all thinking it.

“Why don’t you just call them? Why don’t you [message] them? Why don’t you use the 50 different ways you could get in touch with human beings right now to say, ‘I’m here for you if you need me. I’m not going to bother you, but I’m here if you need me. I want to make sure that you know this without any question, I’ll always love you for the rest of my life,’” Dr. Oz asked Jon. 

Jon claims he has “done all those things” and is now leaving it up to his kids to make the next move. 

“Like I said before, I’m welcoming them back into our house if they’re willing to come or reach out anything like that, but I’m more putting it on them because I’ve reached out and given the olive branch,” he said. “Now, I can’t explain half the things I did in the past or why I did things, but maybe those are table conversations we can have in-person, but I’m opening my house in open arms and if they’re willing to come.”

When reflecting on the current situation with his kids, Jon said he should have fought harder, using Hannah as an example, as she wanted to live with her father but initially was “just more stoic in her decision-making.” 

“Maybe the others needed a bigger voice,” he said. “Maybe I should have stepped up at that point or you know, said ‘Hey, if you don’t want to go home … ,’ and I did that, but then some move and then some stay and you know, then you’re in contempt and all these things happen … .” 

Jon said he “should have been a stronger voice at the time” but feared the financial ramifications of “going against someone who’s a millionaire.”

“Who, me?!”

“Fear plays a big part in that, you know,” he said. “Like OK, what’s best for [the kids]? What’s best for me? How am I going to maintain a household if I have to spend all this money to go to court to fight for them? Who’s going to stay? It’s not just one person, you’re dealing with eight different lives all the time.” 

Jon confirmed to Dr. Oz that following his recent health scare, he has been prescribed a blood thinner by his doctor. Dr. Oz said Jon was a “resilient guy” and will hopefully “leap past this.” 

“I always come back here with something,” Jon joked.

You can watch Jon’s full interview with Dr. Oz below. 

RELATED STORY: Jon Gosselin Says His Battle with COVID-19 Made Him Want to Fix His Relationships with Estranged Kids; Details Hospitalization Experience 

(Photos: YouTube; Dr. Oz Show; TLC; Instagram) 

10 Comments

  1. If you go see those kids you would be trespassing? What? They have a protective order on you? That’s messed up.

    Or do you just not want to put in the effort so you throw words like “legalities” and “tresspass” around to put us all off the scent?

    Stay off TV and maybe people will want to talk to you.


    1. Yes, Kate is/was vindictive enough to have Jon charged with trespassing if he went onto her property to pick up his kids. She wouldn’t even let him drive past the gates onto the property that sit at the road. He had to drop off and pick up the kids for visitation at the street side of the gates – the kids had to walk from the house to the gates to get in his van because she wouldn’t let him pick them up at the door. He never knew who he’d see for visitation – it was just whoever came (or she’d let) walking down the driveway.

      She made it extremely difficult for the kids to see him, laying guilt trips on them, extra chores/punishments, etc., so it took a strong child to stand up for themself and admit they wanted to see their father and then do it. The more meek and pliant of the younger kids didn’t want to stand up for themselves and up to Kate and see Jon. Most found it easier to not push the issue and face Kate’s wrath and just stay home. Hannah was strong enough emotionally and chronologically to fight for herself and see and eventually live with Jon. Collin grew bigger and Kate couldn’t physically dominate him any longer and when he started rebelling about wanting his father Kate sent him away where he was locked up for years.

      The sick things Kate taught the kids about interpersonal relationships and families will affect them for the rest of their lives. I don’t see any of the kids ever having happy, lasting marriages and will probably have fractured relationships among themselves even into old age.

      Kate taught them the lesson that when someone no longer knows how to help you, when they’ve outlived their usefulness, you write them out of your life. Like she’s done with her parents, Kevin & Jody (remember them?), her friends, family, collegues. They have themselves, and that’s it. They don’t even have each other and that’s so sad. They were wombmates for months and even that special bond has been broken.


  2. Has he reached out though??? He words things in a way that make it sound as though he has not privately contacted them. It’s not their responsibility to contact him and if he wanted to make things better he’d never stop trying.


  3. He really hasn’t stfu since the order or agreement time lapsed has he.
    For someone who doesn’t like the media, tv etc.. he sure does put himself on it AN AWFUL LOT!
    People can say whatever about Kate, But guess what.. AT LEAST she actually parented them. He sold his kids for some Ed Hardy shirts and a “single life” until he blew all his money.
    He is the biggest POS.
    I wish dolts like Oz would stop giving him a “platform” .
    Go away Jon,
    Nobody cares & your excuses are ridiculous.


    1. Jin actually has full custody of 2 of the kids. Collin, whom Kate tried and succeeded to have locked away in a troubled boys home because he wouldn’t follow her strict orders. Jon got him out of the home and has full custody. Kate didn’t even show up at the hearing. He also has full custody of Hannah, whom doesn’t speak to her mother either.


      1. Oh Jon, I have been rooting for you but I think it’s time to back off on the Dr Oz interviews. I can see why you think this is the proper way to contact your kids, considering the horribleness that is Kate, but it might be backfiring.

        On the other hand, I kinda love that Jon is doing interviews (even if they are just with Dr Oz and Entertainment Tonight). No one wants to interview Kate. That’s gonna burn her butt.

        I’m also curious as to why Jon doesn’t file to change the custody agreement. The 4 younger kids are under 18–they don’t really have that much of a say as to custody. If Kate is blocking the kids from contacting Jon, or their siblings in Jon’s care, file for a change in custody and then proceed with holding her in contempt if she keeps the kids away.

        One last thing, is Collin living with Jon full time? I didn’t hear anything in regards to custody after Collin accused Jon of assault and battery.


        1. Actually, at their age, what the kids want has a lot to do in custody cases. Unless you’re dealing with abuse, neglect, drugs, etc, the kids wishes are usually respected. In fact, many times they’re assigned a guardian ad litem, to ensure the children have their own voice and representation in court.


        2. They’re wishes matter and if they chose to see him they would. A judge won’t force them to see Jon. I think they’re afraid of Kate. Plus the older 2 need her to pay for their college. I bet she’s holding their trust funds hostage.


        3. Yes, Jon has full custody of Hannah and Collin. Kate last saw Collin when she dropped him off at that “hospital” and hasn’t seen him since. She didn’t have the guts to face Collin so she didn’t even show up in court the day his custody was decided. She knew she didn’t want him (and couldn’t defend her actions regarding him the last 3 years) so she just ignored the fact she was due in court and blew it off. Her own son. SMH

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