Dr. Phil McGraw has denied claims that he helped TLC try to save Jon and Kate Gosselin’s marriage before their 2009 divorce. The allegation appears in Collin Gosselin’s new memoir, In the Shadow of the Eight. McGraw’s representative rejected the story and denied any involvement in the alleged offer. The dispute centers on claims about the reality show and the people behind it.
Dr. Phil’s representative denies the claim in Collin Gosselin’s new memoir
In a statement to Us Weekly, McGraw’s representative called Collin’s allegations false. The representative said neither McGraw nor anyone connected to his CBS Studios program had a financial or other interest in Jon and Kate Plus 8. The show came from a different network and had its own production team. The representative also noted that McGraw has never met Collin.
The statement denied that McGraw helped arrange or knew about any payments to Jon and Kate. The representative added that McGraw was “never asked to make or deliver any such payment nor did he do so.” The statement also noted that McGraw had no “vested interest” in keeping the couple married. The representative said Jon and Kate appeared on his show as guests, like more than 20,000 others over 21 years.
Collin tells a different story in his memoir, which came out Tuesday. He claims McGraw met with his parents behind the scenes after they told TLC they planned to divorce. Collin alleges the network offered them $2 million to remain together for the cameras.
He also wrote that McGraw was not acting as a neutral party, but as someone with “power, connections, and a real interest in preserving the TLC empire.”
Collin also said the adults involved had not considered the situation or its impact on him and his siblings. He wrote, “They weren’t just trying to save a marriage. They were trying to save a TV show.”
Jon and Kate Plus 8 ran for five seasons before the couple split in 2009. Kate Plus 8 later continued for six more seasons.
This story originally appeared on Realitytea
