Kate Gosselin
Reality television star Kate Gosselin starred on TLC’s ‘Jon and Kate Plus 8,’ and went through a very public divorce as a result of the show’s success.
Synopsis
Kate Gosselin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1975. Shortly after becoming a registered nurse, she met and married Jon Gosselin. The couple had twins and then sextuplets. Curiosity surrounding Gosselin's family life resulted in the reality television show Jon and Kate Plus 8. Gosselin's television career includes performing on Dancing with the Stars and co-hosting The View.
Early Life
Kate Gosselin was born Kate Irene Kreider on March 28, 1975, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She attended school at the Reading Hospital and Medical Center, where she earned her nursing degree, and became a registered nurse.
In 1997, Kate Kreider met Jon Gosselin at a picnic. The pair clicked, and they were married two years later. Gosselin, who knew she was unable to conceive due to polycystic ovary syndrome, began fertility treatments soon after she and Jon wed. She underwent intrauterine insemination, which resulted in the birth of her twin daughters, Cara and Madelyn, in October 2000.
Gosselin and Jon began fertility treatments once again in 2003, hoping to add a third child to their family. To the couple's surprise, Gosselin became pregnant with sextuplets. In the spring of 2004, Kate gave birth to her six younger children, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel.
Reality Television Career
Gosselin and her family were introduced to television audiences through the Discovery Health Channel special, Surviving Sextuplets and Twins, in September 2005. The viewing public showed much interest in the family and as a result, Discovery Health invited them back for a second special, Sextuplets and Twins: One Year later.
The specials produced such high ratings that the production company signed a deal with Gosselin and her husband, Jon, to star in a new reality show, Jon and Kate Plus 8. The program premiered in 2007, documenting the lives of the young couple and their eight children. The show ran for five seasons, the first two on Discovery Health and the final three on TLC.
Jon and Kate Plus 8 was immensely popular, but the success and spotlight took a toll on Gosselin's marriage. She and husband Jon publicly announced their separation on the show in the summer of 2009. The title of the show was changed to Kate Plus 8, and Jon no longer appeared frequently on the program. The reality show aired its series finale that same year because Jon made the decision to stop filming altogether.
Gosselin continued appearing on television, occasionally co-hosting The View and competing on such shows as Dancing With the Stars and The Apprentice. In April 2018, she announced she would star in a new TLC series, Kate Plus Date, showing her efforts to get back into the dating pool.
