MTV’s producers are reportedly combining the casts of Teen Mom 2 and Teen Mom OG, which means some of the cast members will be fired as a result.
The Teen Mom franchise introduced viewers to Teen Mom OG in 2009 and Teen Mom 2 in 2011.
The original cast of Teen Mom OG included castmates Farrah Abraham, Catelynn Baltierra, Maci Bookout, and Amber Portwood. Viewers met Chelsea Houska, Jenelle Evans, Kail Lowry, and Leah Messer two years later on Teen Mom 2.
Now, it’s being reported that the two shows will be combining casts to form one show, and some of the moms will be let go from the franchise in the process.
Casts of Teen Mom OG, 2 combining for one show, report says
According to a source who spoke with The Ashley’s Reality Roundup, Teen Mom producers have been looking at ways to try and salvage the franchise after dismal ratings in recent seasons.
“This is like their last-ditch effort to keep the shows going,” the source told the outlet.
The source added that not every mom is aware of the cast changes, which reportedly includes dropping some of the 10 total cast members from the show.
“It’s circulating through the casts and crews but I don’t think it’s made its way to everyone,” the source added. The Ashley’s Reality Roundup also noted that some of the “higher ups” have thought about keeping most of the moms on board but switching up which girls appear on each episode.
Of the current cast, several of the original members remain with some new faces thrown in the mix. Teen Mom OG’s cast currently includes Mackenzie McKee, Catelynn Baltierra, Maci Bookout, Amber Portwood, and Cheyenne Floyd. The current cast of Teen Mom 2 includes Kail Lowry, Briana DeJesus, Leah Messer, Jade Cline, and Ashley Jones.
Another source told The Ashley’s Reality Roundup, “That way it would only cover the girls who actually had something interesting happening in their lives at that moment.”
What is the proposed format for the combined show?
The insider added that the format change on the show will mean some producers would get the boot also. “There are just too many people working on this franchise and it’s not bringing in the ratings and money it once did,” the first source said.
“They needed to come up with a way to keep the show going but in a cheaper way,” they continued. “The casts’ salaries are enormous and it costs a lot of money to fly all over the country to film the girls.”
Earlier this year, the first-ever Teen Mom franchise spinoff debuted, Teen Mom Family Reunion. According to the insider, it was fairly easy to film the spinoff, although it didn’t bring in the viewership that production hoped it would.
“Everyone was in one place, making the cost, scheduling and COVID[-19] protocols much easier than going to the girls’ homes,” they shared.
Another issue is the mom’s ages, with most of them approaching 30 years of age. The source explained that the producers are aware this might affect ratings as well. “These girls haven’t been teens in over a decade. It’s ridiculous that they’re still on a show called Teen Mom.”
“Fans have been saying it for years, so it’s likely that the [new] show’s name will not be Teen Mom, or at the very least, will be changed to better reflect their current situations,” they added.
Stay tuned as more information on this huge Teen Mom franchise change becomes available.
Teen Mom 2 airs on Tuesday nights at 8/7c on MTV.