Teen Mom fans should have a cause to celebrate in the coming weeks. Teen Mom’s latest iteration, Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, is just a few weeks away from its scheduled premiere date (September 6). The highly anticipated Teen Mom spinoff will star Teen Mom OG's Amber Portwood, Maci Bookout, Cheyenne Floyd, and Catelynn Baltierra. Teen Mom 2’s Leah Messer, Briana De Jesus, Jade Cline, and Ashley Jones will also form part of the core cast.
However, some Teen Mom stars are noticeably absent from MTV’s official cast line-up. Among those excluded are Teen Mom OG alumni Farrah Abraham, Mackenzie McKee, and Bristol Palin. Teen Mom 2 stars Kailyn Lowry, Chelsea DeBoer, and Jenelle Evans have also been left out of the official cast line-up. Here’s why these particular Teen Mom stars will not feature in the new spinoff.
8 Jenelle Evans Was Offered A Chance To Join Teen Mom: The Next Chapter
MTV offered Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans a chance to star in Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. However, contract negotiations with the star ended in a stalemate.
Jenelle’s manager, August Keen, confirmed to TMZ that the star would not feature in the upcoming spinoff. “Jenelle is officially NOT returning to MTV's "Teen Mom" franchise after the two sides could not reach an agreement on a contract."
7 Jenelle Evans Has A New Reality TV Show In The Works
Jenelle Evans declined to sign an exclusive contract with MTV. “I alone decided to decline the terms within the agreement to pursue and further other career choices, based on the terms," she told PageSix in August. “It would have not aligned with my current opportunities. No hard feelings.”
According to Jenelle’s manager, the Teen Mom alum is working on a “dynamic” new series, which is on the verge of getting picked up by a major network.
6 Farrah Abraham Was Ousted From The Teen Mom Franchise In 2018
Farrah Abraham had a falling out with Teen Mom producers in 2018 after she decided to pursue a career in adult entertainment. The Teen Mom OG alum was also reportedly notoriously difficult to work with, often butting heads with the show’s production team.
“Viacom let me go because as a Business Mogul, I act like an adult and partake in adult promotions and activities that other adults do for FREE or in private,” Farrah said at the time. “I am proud of myself not giving in to be sex-shamed by Viacom network.”
5 Farrah Abraham Is Open To Returning To The Teen Mom Franchise
Farrah Abraham has stated that she would be open to returning to the Teen Mom franchise should the opportunity arise. “I really miss it,” she told RadarOnline in 2019. “I’m not digging the low ratings and people leaving the show, so I really feel like if I come back, I want it to be positive. I really hope I could bring it back. If they ever need me, I’m back here.”
That said, it remains unclear whether Teen Mom producers approached Farrah Abraham for a role in Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.
4 Kailyn Lowry Recently Cut Ties With The Teen Mom Franchise
Teen Mom 2 star Kailyn Lowry will also not feature in Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. Lowry cut ties with the Teen Mom franchise back in May 2022 and seemed mostly uninterested in future spinoff opportunities.
"I want to focus on my self-growth and my kids and I didn't feel like the show aligned with the goals that I have anymore,” she said at the time. “I decided it was time for me to move on."
3 Chelsea Houska Left The Teen Mom Franchise In 2021
Chelsea Houska is yet another Teen Mom alum who permanently cut ties with the Teen Mom universe. Given the circumstances of her departure, one can assume that Houska is definitely not interested in being part of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. Chelsea opened up about her decision to leave the franchise in an interview with E! News back in 2021.
"There just came a point — and I think it was a buildup almost — this feeling in my gut, or my heart, I guess,” she said. “It just didn't feel like I was supposed to be on that show anymore."
2 Mackenzie McKee Had A Falling Out With MTV In 2021
Mackenzie McKee had a falling out with MTV back in 2021 after she made some controversial comments about Vice President Kamala Harris on Twitter.
As a result, Teen Mom producers blatantly ignored McKee when casting Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. McKee expressed her frustrations with the network on Twitter saying, “I’m an hour away, and they act like I don’t even exist and can’t explain to my lawyer why. So that stings."
1 Bristol Palin Quit Teen Mom OG In 2019
Bristol Palin quit Teen Mom OG in 2019, claiming that being part of the show was interfering with her peace of mind. “Teen Mom OG wasn’t a fit for me, it took away my peace," she said. "Honestly - my peace has a price tag that no one but God can afford. [Money] doesn’t impress me, I don’t entertain bs, and walking away from this show allows God to rebuild me (and my little fam) in the right direction.”
With this in mind, it is highly unlikely that Palin would be interested in joining Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.