Collin Gosselin wrote a tell-all book about the abuse he allegedly suffered as a child. In the Shadow of Eight hits bookstores on October 13. He shared one shocking example of abuse at the hands of his mother, Kate Gosselin. The former childhood reality star claimed that the abuse was ignored for years by TLC and those close to the family. Keep reading for all the details.
Collin Gosselin Claims Mom Dragged Him By Ear, Abuse Ignored
Collin Gosselin broke his silence several years ago about the abuse he allegedly suffered as a young boy. He claimed that his mom, Kate Gosselin, zip-tied his hands and locked him in the basement. She then sent him to an institution for several years until his father, Jon Gosselin, went to court to get custody.
Collin starred alongside his siblings, Madelyn. Cara, Leah, Hannah, Alexis, Joel, and Aaden, on TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8. Jon and Kate Gosselin eventually got divorced, but the show continued, featuring Kate as a single mom of twins and sextuplets.
“Simply put, my whole life that I lived was a lie. All the things you see on TV, lies.” Collin Gosselin told ABC News’ Juju Chang in an interview ahead of the bombshell book’s release. He claimed that he was singled out as a child because he refused to film the TLC reality show.
According to Collin Gosselin, his mother isolated him and his siblings from their father after the 2009 divorce. He claimed that she made him sleep in a locked room in the basement. He previously alluded to physical abuse, but went into detail on Good Morning America.
Collin Gosselin claimed that his mother once dragged him by his earlobe, making it visibly swollen. “My teacher saw … and then I talked to my guidance counselor, and I told them about it,” he said on GMA. “And my mom was not very happy that I spoke about that.”
He said that CPS was called to investigate but he was too scared to speak up about the alleged abuse. Kate Gosselin has continuously denied all of his claims of abuse.
He Shares Crayon-Written Note Begging Dad For Help
Why would his mother put him in an institution? “I threatened my mom’s income, I threatened her image, and people will do anything to protect their reputation, especially my mom,” he said.
His saving grace was his father, Jon Gosselin.
Collin Gosselin said that his mother sent him away just before his twelfth birthday. He spent 2 years institutionalized until his father was granted custody. Collin’s sister, Hannah, also chose to live with her dad instead of Kate.
In his book, Collin Gosselin recalled scratching a note to his dad with a crayon and having a friend sneak it out of the institution. “I’m counting on you to get me out of here. Daddy, I love you. Save me,” the note reportedly said.
Jon Gosselin spent a year in court trying to get custody of his son. Collin Gosselin was finally released into his custody in 2018 when he was 14. What other bombshells will he reveal in his book?
In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood hits bookstores on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger