Collin Gosselin: Jon & Kate’s Son Wins Special Forces Season 5

Collin Gosselin, the son of Jon and Kate Gosselin whose childhood played out on TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8, has won season 5 of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. The finale aired on Thursday 12 November 2026, and Collin was one of only three recruits to pass the course, alongside Candace Cameron Bure and Alexia Umansky. The win caps a remarkable turnaround for the 22-year-old, who was discharged from the US Marines in 2023 and told his side of the family story in a bestselling memoir published in October 2026.

Collin Gosselin — Quick Reference Profile

Born on Camera: The Sextuplet Who Grew Up on Jon & Kate Plus 8

Collin Thomas Gosselin was born on 10 May 2004 at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, ten weeks premature and weighing 3 lb 0.5 oz. He was one of sextuplets born to Jon and Kate Gosselin, joining older twin sisters Cara and Madelyn, who were born on 8 October 2000. TLC launched Jon & Kate Plus 8 in 2007, and the show made the family one of the most famous on American television before running until 2017. Jon and Kate married on 12 June 1999 and divorced in December 2009, with Kate receiving primary custody of all eight children. Collin moved in with his father full-time in 2016, and Jon won sole physical and legal custody of him in December 2018. Collin and his sister Hannah graduated from high school together in June 2023.

The Marines Discharge That Nearly Ended His Dream

After graduating, Collin shipped out to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island on 5 July 2023 to begin boot camp. Ten and a half weeks into the 13-week course, in August 2023, a Navy doctor discharged him after his earlier stay in a behavioural health facility came to light. Collin has said his mother Kate’s Instagram post about his diagnoses in July 2023 reached his command, but the Marine Corps has not publicly confirmed that post as the cause of the discharge, as People reported. An independent psychiatric evaluation by clinical psychologist Dr Paul E. Delfin in October 2023 concluded that Collin met no criteria for any psychiatric diagnosis. He then enrolled at Penn State University to study finance and launched a power-washing company in March 2025. He has said he still hopes to return as a Marine officer after college.

Twelve Hours in the Jungle: How Collin Gosselin Won Special Forces Season 5

Season 5 of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test premiered on 24 September 2026 with 15 celebrity recruits training in the Malaysian jungle. The finale, titled “Interrogation”, aired on 12 November 2026 with seven recruits still standing for a 12-hour simulated capture and interrogation, including time in a water-filled cage. JustJared reported that only three recruits passed: Collin Gosselin, Candace Cameron Bure and Alexia Umansky. Collin broke down in tears when the directing staff told him he had passed, saying: “Winning ‘Special Forces’ was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. It’s proven to me that I could give something my all, overcome incredible challenges, and come out on top.” The win carried an extra edge because his mother Kate had competed on the show’s first season in 2023 and was the first person to leave. On the same day the win was announced, Collin revealed his memoir had spent four weeks at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

A Family Still Divided: The Memoir and the Rift With Kate

Collin published his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, on 13 October 2026. In it he alleges harsh discipline at home and describes being placed at Fairmount Behavioral Health System in Philadelphia in 2016. Kate has said the measures taken in the home were on the recommendation of his paediatric psychiatrist and specialists, and the competing accounts remain disputed, with no court finding settling them. Collin has said he no longer has a relationship with his mother, while expressing hope of reconnecting with his siblings. The memoir and the Special Forces win have together put his version of the family story in front of a new audience.

What Collin Gosselin Is Worth and What Comes Next

No reliable source publishes a verified net worth for Collin Gosselin, so that figure is not publicly verified. His known income streams are his bestselling memoir, his Special Forces appearance and his power-washing business, alongside his finance studies at Penn State. With a No. 1 memoir and a reality-show win behind him, his next steps are likely to mix media work with the Marine officer ambition he has spoken about. Another famous son profiled on this site is Bryce James, LeBron James’ son, while Winston Garland is the father who paved the way for his son Darius in the NBA.

Collin Gosselin FAQs

Q: How old is Collin Gosselin? A: He is 22, born on 10 May 2004.

Q: Who are Collin Gosselin’s parents? A: Jon and Kate Gosselin, the stars of Jon & Kate Plus 8.

Q: Did Collin Gosselin win Special Forces? A: Yes. He won season 5 of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, with the finale airing on 12 November 2026, alongside Candace Cameron Bure and Alexia Umansky.

Q: Why was Collin Gosselin discharged from the Marines? A: He was discharged in August 2023, ten and a half weeks into training, after his earlier stay in a behavioural health facility came to light. He alleges his mother’s Instagram post played a role; the Marine Corps has not publicly confirmed the cause.

Q: What is Collin Gosselin’s net worth? A: Not publicly verified.

MYTH-BUSTING: Myth: winning Special Forces makes Collin a Special Forces soldier. Fact: the show’s win means passing a reality-television course, not earning military Special Forces status.

Myth: Collin was discharged for failing training. Fact: his performance was documented as above average; the discharge followed the surfacing of his institutional history.