14 DAY TRIAL // In November 2009, the final episode of TLC’s immensely successful reality show “Jon and Kate Plus 8” aired. It was billed the end of an era in television, but the network insisted it could no longer continue since the two protagonists, Jon and Kate Gosselin, were divorced. At the same time, it promised Kate would return – which she’ll do this summer with two brand-new shows, USA Today informs.
As it became clear that there was no possibility for Jon and Kate to work things out, TLC initially announced that the show would be rebranded as “Kate Plus 8,” an idea it had to give up when Jon took matters to court and barred cameras from shooting his and Kate’s eight children. Now, TLC is coming back to that, announcing a series of “Kate Plus 8” specials, together with a brand-new show that will take Mrs. Gosselin on different paths from what we’ve seen so far, called “Twist of Kate.”
“TLC announces plans today for the Jon & Kate Plus 8 star to get her own series, Twist of Kate, and to revisit her family life, without ex-husband Jon, in a series of Kate Plus 8 specials. It’s part of a plan to build on the channel’s growth that also includes Sarah Palin's Alaska, a travelogue series about the state and its high-profile former governor. In Twist of Kate, Gosselin will use fan letters from women inspired by her story as the basis for profiles of women facing their own challenges. Twelve episodes will start airing in late summer,” USA Today writes.
Kate herself confirms the news, saying, “I look at it as a loose concept. I want to be out there learning from others, helping to provide insight whenever I can, though I don’t consider myself an expert on anything.” TLC chief Eileen O’Neill also says that the new show will prove a challenge for Mrs. Gosselin, as she’ll be forced to go to the workplaces of regular people and literally “be in that person’s shoes.”
The announcement for the two new shows comes on the heels of severe criticism for her performance on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, where she’s been labeled anything from a “nightmare” to a “robot.” What can’t be denied though is the fact that, whether judges like her or not, Kate Gosselin has almost single-handedly boosted ratings for the show, making the season premiere the biggest ever in its ten-year history.