TLC sues Jon Gosselin

By April MacIntyre Oct 17, 2009, 16:32 GMT

Gosselin filed legal action to bar his kids from production on the resumed Jon and Kate Plus 8 last month. He then went on a smallscreen media blitz to defend his position in the matter, accompanied by his attorney Mark Heller. © Koi Sojer / PR Photos

The network that brings you unusually large "happy" families in reality slices of life, TLC, is suing one of their "stars," Jon Gosselin.

Gosselin is being sued for breaching his contract in the defunct "Jon & Kate Plus 8" series.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in Maryland.

Gosselin is accused of not meeting contractual obligations as an "exclusive employee," and for appearing on other programs for money.

Gosselin filed legal action to bar his kids from production on the resumed Jon and Kate Plus 8 last month. He then went on a smallscreen media blitz to defend his position in the matter, accompanied by his attorney Mark Heller.

TLC and the show's production company contend Jon was punitiive in his actions and took his children off set after the network failed to give into his attorney's demand to let him out of his exclusivity contract.

The suit claims attorney Mark Heller contacted the producers the same day they announced they would re-launch the show in November as "Kate Plus 8"and focus it on Kate's life as a single mom.

"(Jon) Gosselin's counsel stated that if this release was not forthcoming within one hour's time, defendant Gosselin would reverse his often repeated public comments to the contrary and publicly object to further filming of the program on the ground that it is purportedly detrimental to his children," the suit alleges. "When (TLC) declined to provide the release, Defendant Gosselin followed through on his threat and thereafter notified TLC that he would attempt to bar TLC's further access to the family property and further filming of his children."

Mark Heller replied to the latest legal volley from TLC, saying to reporters that "Discovery and TLC has treated Jon Gosselin like a dog by attempting to keep him on a leash and muzzle him and deny the father of eight an opportunity to earn a livelihood to support his family," he says.