Jon Gosselin Warns Alec Baldwin Against New TLC Reality Show: ‘Don’t Do It’

Jon Gosselin has some candid advice for Alec and Hilaria Baldwin as they gear up to film their newly announced reality show.

In a sit-down with ET’s Rachel Smith, accompanied by his daughter Hannah Gosselin, Jon discussed his life post-reality TV and his impressive 50-plus pound weight loss achieved with the help of the Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center. The 47-year-old father of eight offered a blunt warning to the actor, 66, and his wife, 40, who share seven children: get out now.

“I’d say, ‘Don’t do it. You’ve already made it, you’re an amazing award-winning actor,’” Jon advised Alec and Hilaria as they embark on their new venture with TLC.

Reflecting on his own journey into reality television, Jon admitted, “I did it for the money in the beginning because I didn’t know how I was going to support my family […] I sometimes have regrets because the kids didn’t sign a contract, I signed the contract.”

Jon was a central figure in TLC’s hit reality show, Jon & Kate Plus 8. He starred alongside his then-wife, Kate Gosselin, and their eight children. The show ran for five seasons after premiering in 2007, even continuing after the pair filed for divorce in December 2009.

Jon and some of his children, including Collin Gosselin in a prior ET interview, have expressed how they believe the show contributed to the disintegration of their family and caused a now-irreparable rift.

Jon and Kate share older twins, Mady and Cara, 23, and sextuplets: Alexis, Aaden, Hannah, Collin, Leah, and Joel, all 20. Both Hannah and Collin have distanced themselves from their mother, while the other six children remain close to Kate, 49.

Highlighting the issues created by the show, and the fact that the children “didn’t have a choice” but to live publicly after Jon & Kate Plus 8 became popular, Hannah shared her own advice for the Baldwin parents as they plan to launch their TLC series.

“Just make sure your kids are okay and happy. And that’s what they want to do, like, obviously it is their choice,” she said. “I’d say look out for your kids in that aspect, in that world. Because it’s a crazy world.”

Jon and Hannah also referenced Sylvester Stallone’s reality show, The Family Stallone, which follows the actor, his wife Jennifer Flavin, and their three grown daughters, Sophia, 27, Sistine, 26, and Scarlet, 22.

Jon pointed out the differences between their show and the Baldwins’, noting that Stallone’s daughters are mature enough to consent to the project and being in the public eye.

“His daughters are in their twenties; these children are tiny,” Jon observed.

Alec and Hilaria Baldwin share Carmen, 10, Rafael, 8, Leonardo, 7, Romeo, 6, Eduardo, 3, Maria, 3, and Ilaria, 1. Alec also has a 27-year-old daughter, Ireland Baldwin, with his ex, Kim Basinger.

“Look at the nuclear fallout that happened [to our family],” Jon cautioned about his concerns for The Baldwins. “I feel like it was more on the network side, and we were being taken advantage of versus the decisions we made because we feel like they forced us into those decisions.”

Jon hopes that Alec, as an experienced actor accustomed to dealing with contracts and lawyers, will better understand what he is getting his family into, so things don’t turn sour quickly.

Just last month, the Baldwin family announced they would be bringing their lively household to reality TV. “We’ve got an exciting announcement to share! Coming in 2025…,” the couple captioned a video shared on Instagram in June.

“We’re inviting you into our home, the ups and downs, the wild and the crazy,” Alec said in the video. “Home is the place we love to be the most.”

The official announcement followed a year after the 30 Rock actor first revealed on Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast that he and Hilaria were considering pitches for a reality show. At the time, Alec said it made perfect sense for their large family.

“Everything’s about my family. I have tried to focus more on family in recent years since we had five, then six, and then seven kids. I can’t go anywhere for any length of time,” Alec said. “In the old days, I’d jump on a plane and go to L.A. It was easy to pick up and go… I need 12 plane tickets now—nannies, kids, my wife. We need, like, 11 seats. They don’t even have 11 seats in the business class section of the plane.”

A source informed ET at the time that Alec’s favorite pastime is spending time with Hilaria and their kids. “Anyone who’s around them knows how much they love being together. They are excited about the show and feel it will allow people to see their true selves and what matters most to them,” the source said.

Source: ET Online