Collin Gosselin Alleges Childhood Abuse, Seeks Accountability from Mother Kate Gosselin

Collin Gosselin, a former child star of the reality television show "Jon & Kate Plus 8," has accused his estranged mother, Kate Gosselin, of attempting to "bury" him to protect her public image. In his new memoir, "In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood," Gosselin alleges instances of childhood abuse, isolation, and forced psychiatric medication.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, the 22-year-old stated he has not spoken to his mother since he was 13 and would require an apology and accountability before considering reconciliation. "I'd like an apology, simply put, an apology and for her to admit, and just take accountability for what she did," Collin said. He elaborated, "And to say, you know, 'I'm sorry that I've soiled your name, and I've made every effort to bury you, to protect my reputation,' I think that'd be very honest and very powerful for her to say that … just show accountability because everything she's done to protect her reputation, it's all been at my cost."

Collin described his experience in a treatment facility as akin to being sent to a juvenile detention center, an experience he stated left lasting scars. He also detailed the effects of psychiatric medication he claims he was forced to take as a child, which he said made him feel like a "zombie." His memoir portrays his childhood away from the cameras that propelled his family to fame as deeply isolating.

Despite the estrangement, Collin expressed a continued, albeit cautious, openness to hearing from his mother. "I think I'd take the call out of curiosity and just to hope that maybe she would admit to the things that she did to me when I was a child," he said. However, he emphasized that reconciliation would necessitate more than just words. "Reconciliation requires action and accountability," he stated. "I think we can all say, 'I'm sorry,' but if we're not willing to take the actions and take accountability for what has happened in the past and what happened my entire childhood, then what does that really mean, you know?"

Collin is also re-entering the public eye as a contestant on the fifth season of FOX's "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test." He views this return to television, on his own terms as an adult, as a significant departure from his childhood experiences with reality TV. "It was so powerful to be able to come back to TV on my own terms as an adult and rather than being a young child being pressured to perform on the daily," he said.

He also advocated for children's rights in the context of reality television, stating, "When a child does not want to be on TV, that should be their decision to make. And we should let them make that decision."

Collin Gosselin's memoir, "In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood," is now available.