Kate Gosselin’s estranged son Collin has debuted a brand new look ahead of the release of his bombshell memoir about growing up on reality TV.
The 22-year-old has promised to expose the ‘abuse, injustice, and the exploitation of children’ in the tell-all, titled In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood.
Shortly after releasing the book for preorder, Collin and a couple of his pals celebrated the announcement with a swanky dinner at Manhattan hotspot Farzi NYC.
The former reality star looked unrecognizable with a grown-up new look that was worlds away from the fresh-faced kid that viewers were introduced to on TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8.
Collin now has a moustache and a stylish mop of hair, along with a sleeve of tattoos that would probably leave his notoriously uptight mother aghast.
He looked effortlessly suave as he entered the trendy eatery in a pair of dark sunglasses, grey trousers and a dark blue knit sweater.
Kate Gosselin’s estranged son Collin has debuted a brand new look while out celebrating his upcoming memoir in New York City
Collin, now 22, is pictured with his siblings and mom Kate on their TLC reality show
According to an onlooker at the restaurant, Collin and his friends laughed and celebrated inside for hours.
‘It was really nice to see Collin looking so happy and enjoying himself,’ said the source. ‘He seemed genuinely excited about what’s ahead.’
The former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star announced his forthcoming book last week on Instagram, with the official release set for October 13.
‘This isn’t the story people think they know. It’s the story I’ve lived,’ he teased, adding that he did not pen the book for ‘entertainment’ purposes.
‘It is a story to instill responsibility in everyone to advocate and speak up against abuse, injustice, and the exploitation of children,’ he continued.
‘I not only poured my heart into this book for my younger self, but for ALL who have faced unfair and outright heinous acts as children. I am your voice. I stand with you.’
He also reflected on his time on the small screen, writing, ‘Growing up, millions of people watched my life on television. People felt like they knew me. They knew my family. They watched me grow up. But there was so much they never saw.
‘For years, I kept those experiences to myself. Some because I was afraid. Some because I didn’t think anyone would believe me. And some because I just wasn’t ready.’
Collin showed off his suave new look and tattoo sleeve as he posed with Farzi NYC’s chef Gaurav Chawla
Collin and a couple of his pals celebrated his memoir announcement with a swanky dinner at the Manhattan hotspot
The former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star announced the bombshell tell-all last week on Instagram, with the official release set for October 13.
He added, ‘Writing this book forced me to revisit some of the hardest moments of my life, but it also gave me something I’ve been searching for for a long time: my voice.’
The book’s cover makes a strong statement, featuring a 2010 paparazzi photo of Kate’s hand over a young Collin’s mouth as he stands just tall enough to reach her hip.
Kate and her ex-husband Jon, 49 – who split in 2009 – share twins Madelyn and Cara, 25, and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel, 22.
However, Collin has come to refer to dad Jon’s ex-girlfriend Colleen Conrad as his ‘real mom’.
Jon & Kate Plus 8 aired for five seasons on TLC spanning 2007-2017, peaking at almost 10 million viewers for its season five premiere.
Kate filed for divorce from Jon in 2009 at the height of their reality TV fame, prompting a contentious custody battle.
Ultimately, Jon obtained full custody of Hannah and Collin, while his ex-wife was granted custody of the rest of the children.
In a 2023 interview with Vice TV, Collin accused his mom of abuse and said she treated him differently than his siblings. She denied his allegations
Kate and her ex-husband Jon, 49 – who split in 2009 – share twins Madelyn and Cara, 25, and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel, 22
Kate previously denied Collin’s abuse allegations and said that he has had ‘multiple psychiatric diagnoses’
During a TikTok live in 2025, Kate got honest about their divorce, acknowledging that the downfall of the marriage ‘did not turn out well for my kids.’
‘I don’t know if you have kids or don’t have kids,’ she said to her fans, ‘But I made decisions based on how I would want to be treated, honestly.’
Jon tied the knot for a second time in 2025, marrying Stephanie Lebo.
In a 2023 interview with Vice TV, Collin accused his mom of abuse and said she treated him differently than his siblings.
Kate rebutted in a statement to People, claiming, ‘My son Collin, whom I love with all my heart, has received multiple psychiatric diagnoses over the years.
‘For the safety of myself, his brothers and sisters and for his own well-being, he was placed in a facility following years of outpatient treatment which proved insufficient for his needs.’
