The ORIGINAL Teen Moms are all grown up… but they’re STILL being dogged by drama! FEMAIL reveals what has happened to the stars of hit 2009 reality show – from drug abuse and arrests to sexual assault trauma
- Teen Mom, which first aired in 2009, was a spin-off to MTV’s 16 and Pregnant
- It starred Maci Bookout, Catelynn Lowell, Amber Portwood and Farrah Abraham
- Here, FEMAIL explores what really happened to the stars once the credits rolled
From its inception, reality series Teen Mom was fraught with everything from custody battles and arrests to drug struggles and break-ups.
The first season of the show, which aired in 2009, proved to be an explosive spin-off to MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.
It followed Maci Bookout, Catelynn Lowell, Amber Portwood and Farrah Abraham as they shared the turbulent highs and lows of their teen pregnancies.
Here, FEMAIL explores what really happened to the stars of season one once the credits rolled.
The first season of the show, which aired in 2009, followed Amber Portwood, Farrah Abraham, Catelynn Lowell and Maci Bookout (pictured left to right)
Maci Bookout
Maci Bookout, now 31, was dating Ryan Edwards when the pair welcomed son Bentley on the show in 2008.
The couple engaged the following year but would soon split with Ryan frequently going in and out of rehab over his drug abuse.
But, despite the turbulence, Maci did not shy away from trying to find love again beyond the show.
She started dating her now-husband Taylor McKinney in 2012 and the pair have since welcomed two children together – Jayde, seven, and Maverick, six.
And the reality show alum, who has more than 4.3 million followers on Instagram, has made the most of her TV stardom.
Maci Bookout (pictured on Teen Mom, left, and now, right), who has more than 4.3 million followers on Instagram, has made the most of her TV stardom
Maci was dating Ryan Edwards when the pair welcomed son Bentley in 2008 (pictured together previously)
Maci has so far written two books – Bulletproof and I Wasn’t Born Bulletproof: Lessons I’ve Learned (So You Don’t Have To) – and also hosts a Chattanooga-based crime podcast called Expired.
As if that wasn’t enough, she has also carved out a space for herself in the fashion industry alongside her 33-year-old husband.
The pair own clothing brand TTM – Things That Matter. In a promotional video on the clothing site, the pair say: ‘We just wanted to create a brand that mattered to everybody.’
But it has not all been plain sailing for the high-profile duo.
Maci and Taylor were forced to file for a two-year restraining order against Ryan in 2018, following his arrest in connection with heroin possession.
Maci, now 31, (pictured with her family) has so far written two books and also hosts a Chattanooga-based crime podcast called Expired
As if that wasn’t enough, Maci has also carved out a space for herself in the fashion industry alongside her 33-year-old husband
The mother-of-three said in court docs that Ryan had left for her ‘voicemail messages threatening to show up at my house and take [her] son,’ and had ‘made threats to show up and hurt [her if she didn’t] answer my phone,’ according to E!.
The Tennessee native told the court that he had also appeared at one of Bentley’s baseball games while he was ‘under the influence’ of heroin, and was confrontational in the incident.
The Bulletproof author told the court: ‘I fear for my son’s safety because of these threats and proof that he drives while under the influence.
‘His behavior and actions are getting worse, I am fearful for my three children and myself, and what he may do, based on his threats.’
Maci and Taylor were forced to file for a two-year restraining order against Ryan (pictured)
Ryan’s lawyer Jonathan Turner told the publication that his client ‘agreed to this outcome to make it easier on everyone and not go through a formal process of a trial,’ as it would allow him to continue to see his son.
‘Ryan has no exclusions with Bentley and is still able to see his son under the new restraining order,’ the lawyer said.
He continued: ‘This gives Ryan a lot more protection against any false allegations, allows him to avoid getting arrested without a hearing first, and allows him to be around his son most importantly.
‘Moving forward Ryan hopes everyone can get through this without any issues and that he can see his son.’
Maci is reportedly continuing to work at co-parenting 14-year-old Bentley.
Beyond her strained relationship with her ex, Maci has also spoken out about her health struggles in recent years.
She previously revealed that since her late-teens she has suffered from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which seemed to fluctuate and intensify when she used contraception.
‘PCOS is a lot easier to figure out and control and maintain when there is no medication in your body that messes with your female organs,’ Maci said previously.
‘The birth control changes your PCOS, so then you have to deal with PCOS differently.’
Catelynn Lowell
Catelynn Lowell, now 30, and her high school sweetheart, Tyler Baltierra, welcomed a baby girl in front of the cameras in 2009 after three years of dating.
But, shortly after her arrival, the couple made the agonizing decision to put daughter Carly up for adoption despite being ridiculed for their decision by friends and family.
Despite the emotional strain, their relationship endured and just six years later they decided to tie the knot.
From there, the couple continued to grow their family – with the addition of Novalee, now eight, and Vaeda, now three. In 2021, they welcomed their fourth child together Rya Rose.
Catelynn Lowell (pictured on Teen Mom, left, and now, right) and her high school sweetheart, Tyler Baltierra, welcomed a baby girl in front of the cameras in 2009
Beyond family life, Tyler, 33, and Catelynn, 30, also decided to go into business together and launched their own clothing line
They keep in touch with their first-born but Tyler previously said that the couple feel inferior to her adoptive parents because of their lack of power in the dynamic.
‘I don’t want it to come across like that, but at the end of the day, the reality is, I cannot get to Carly unless it’s going through Brandon and Teresa. Respectfully, that’s her parents, I agree with that,’ he told the hosts of a reunion show for a later series.
He confessed that anxiety has gotten in his way of maintaining a relationship with the now 13-year-old.
‘I’ll be honest, sometimes I don’t trust my own words. I don’t trust how I say things, I don’t trust myself and how I’m going to explain something and if that’s going to match up with how Brandon and Teresa really want her to get that information,’ he explained.
All feelings aside, they did express their ‘gratitude’ to the parents for giving Carly an incredible life.
‘The only thing I can say to Brandon and Teresa is thank you for giving my daughter the life that she has. She would not have anything if it wasn’t for them. I honestly have nothing to say to them but just gratitude,’ Tyler said.
The couple keep in touch with their first-born but Tyler previously said that they feel inferior to her adoptive parents because of their lack of power in the dynamic
In August 2021, Tyler, 33, and Catelynn, 30, welcomed their fourth child together and named her Rya Rose
Throughout her time in the limelight, Catelynn, who now has more than 4.2 million followers on Instagram, has been open about her own mental health struggles.
Catelynn experienced a miscarriage in 2017 which triggered anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
This prompted husband Tyler to help her find in-patient treatment at a facility in Tucson where the mother-of-four learned how to manage her mental health.
Tragically, she suffered another miscarriage in 2020.
‘The reason why I got triggered when I had the first miscarriage was because it was losing a child all over again and that trauma from being 16 years old and handing your child away to somebody really got triggered and it brought up all sorts of emotions,’ she said.
‘It’s just crazy what your mind can do, how it holds on to these things and brings them out in different ways.’
Catelynn first experienced a miscarriage in 2017 which triggered anxiety and suicidal thoughts
The couple married in 2015 and continued to grow their family – with the addition of Novalee, now eight, and Vaeda, now three – and last year welcomed another baby girl
But, unlike in the past, Catelynn was proud of herself for being able to manage her mental health amid the stressful time.
‘It’s not overcoming me or making me spiral,’ she noted. ‘So I can tell that the mental health work that I’ve done has worked, but that being said, it still sucks. And you still have a moment of being mad at your body. It’s super hard and it’s a traumatic experience.’
Beyond family life, Tyler, 33, and Catelynn also decided to go into business together and launched their own clothing line, Tierra Reign, in 2017.
But the children’s boutique was seemingly short-lived.
The duo were reportedly forced to abandon their joint venture after they failed to file their annual statement two years in a row, according to RadarOnline.
The Tierra Reign website remains dormant.
Amber Portwood
Teen Mom star Amber Portwood, now 32, welcomed daughter Leah with her then-fiance Gary Shirley on the show in 2008.
But the pair eventually split after Amber’s substance abuse and anger management issues surfaced.
The former TV star’s history of domestic abuse is significant and meant Gary was awarded full custody of their child in 2011.
And, as recently as 2021, Amber revealed that she and her daughter were still having trouble connecting.
‘Leah and I are still struggling with our relationship,’ she revealed. ‘My relationship with her has changed a lot. I haven’t seen her in quite some time.’
Teen Mom star Amber Portwood (pictured on Teen Mom, left, and now, right) welcomed daughter Leah with her then-fiance Gary Shirley in 2008
The reality TV star hit ex Gary Shirley several times on her show Teen Mom (seen during season two)
In 2010 she was accused of abusing Shirley which resulted in her being investigated by police which found her in possession of marijuana and crack cocaine. She was charged with three counts of domestic violence, two of them felonies.
Child Protective Services also stepped in and monitored her for six months as she took care of Leah.
In December 2011, she was arrested for the Class D felony of possession of a controlled substance.
Amber, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was later charged with violating her probation on her earlier domestic-violence charges.
In 2012, she failed to take her drug tests and was given a five-year sentence. She was given the choice of going to rehab or prison. She chose prison and served 17 months.
In late 2013, Amber made an appearance on Dr Phil where she revealed that she has been released from jail early due to good behavior.
Amber (pictured on the show), who now has 1.7 million followers on Instagram, has gained a questionable rap sheet in recent years
And, as recently as 2021, Amber revealed that she and daughter Leah were still having trouble connecting
Amber, who now has 1.7 million followers on Instagram, started dating Andrew Glennon in 2017 when they met on the TV show Marriage Boot Camp
She also revealed that she was high on prescription and illegal medication for most episodes of Teen Mom, but said that she was never going to use drugs again.
In 2015, it seemed as though she had turned the corner after telling People magazine about how prison helped her.
‘The only thing I could see happening to me if I [hadn’t gone] to prison is I would have died,’ admitted the felon.
‘I would have overdosed. When you’re an addict you know what your bottom is.’
She also said she had been working hard to get her life back together so she could be a good parent to her daughter Leah.
‘The whole time I was in there I worked my a** off,’ she said.
In 2019, Amber was arrested and charged with two counts of domestic battery and one count of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon after assaulting Andrew as he held their son
Andrew was granted sole legal and primary physical custody of their child after a three-year court battle
‘There were hundreds of hours of drug addiction classes. I did extra classes, parenting and anger management and even started teaching.
‘I put myself in there for a reason so I didn’t want to make it a waste.’
Amber, who now has 1.7 million followers on Instagram, started dating Andrew Glennon in 2017 when they met on the TV show Marriage Boot Camp.
The pair welcomed son James but split just two years later.
In 2019, Amber was arrested and charged with two counts of domestic battery and one count of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon after assaulting Andrew at 3am as he held onto their son.
They were reportedly in the middle of a ‘heated argument’ and Child Protective Services were called.
Andrew was granted sole legal and primary physical custody of their child after a three-year court battle.
Amber vowed to ‘never stop fighting’ for her children following the verdict in 2022.
Farrah Abraham
Farrah Abraham, now 31, gave birth to her daughter, Sophia, on the show in 2009. The baby’s father, Derek Underwood, died in a car accident during her pregnancy.
Instead, the Nebraska-born influencer largely raised the youngster with the help of her own parents.
She stayed on with the Teen Mom franchise until 2017 but was reportedly fired following her move into the world of adult entertainment which saw her releasing sex tapes and appearing on webcam shows.
But Farrah was still able to take full advantage of her time in the spotlight appearing on a whole host of other reality shows, including Ex on the Beach, Celebrity Big Brother and Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition.
Farrah Abraham stayed on with the Teen Mom franchise until 2017 but was famously fired for performing an adult webcam show
Beyond her on-screen career she has also explored all other media options.
She wrote a book, titled My Teenage Dream Ended, which landed on the bestsellers list and has also dabbled in the music industry.
In 2022, she revealed that she would be spending nearly a month at a trauma treatment center to improve her mental and physical health.
She told her 2.9 million followers on Instagram that she would be going off the grid to work towards a ‘brighter future.’
Farrah said: ‘I am taking time for my healing. I have ignored people for over 11 months after having a sexual assault and having my whole body break down, my whole brain break down.’
Rough year: In January, the MTV personality was arrested and taken into custody by the LAPD after allegedly assaulting a security officer at a club in Hollywood; seen in October 2021
The mother-of-one added ‘No matter your traumas — whether they are physical or mental, people see them or don’t see them — I wanted to take the time and say I am grateful for my family for hanging with me this year in one of my hardest years.’
She concluded: ‘I am looking forward to understanding more medically what I can do for myself and transition.’
Last year, the MTV personality was arrested and taken into custody by the LAPD after allegedly assaulting a security officer at a club in Hollywood.
Farrah was dining at the Hollywood venue Grandmaster Records when a confrontation took place outside the establishment.
After she refused to leave the venue, a security guard said Farrah had hit her, and she was placed under citizen’s arrest prior to police arriving and arresting her in connection with suspicion of misdemeanor battery.
She said: ‘I’m tired of being maliciously battered, attacked, conspired against while having dinner at Grand Master Records, this was a private person’s arrest my lawyer is handling from here.
Last year, the MTV personality was arrested and taken into custody by the LAPD after allegedly assaulting a security officer at a club in Hollywood
‘It is terrifying and traumatizing that people attack me and I can not even enjoy dinner as I’m the only person out of three attacked and harassed when.
‘I look forward to court as always, warning this place is a danger to public figures [sic].’
But that wasn’t her only brush with the law.
Back in 2018, Farrah was booked for battery and trespassing after allegedly hitting a Beverly Hills Hotel security guard ‘in the face with her forearm, grabbing his ear, and pushing his head’ when he tried to eject her from another party.
Farrah successfully completed her two-year probation, 12 hours of anger management, five days of community labor, and paid a $150 fee over the boozy altercation.
More recently, Farrah hit back at fans who criticized her for allowing her daughter to get her septum pierced for her 13th birthday
More recently, Farrah hit back at fans who criticized her for allowing her daughter to get her septum pierced for her 13th birthday.
The former Teen Mom star told TMZ that while she personally ‘wasn’t for it,’ Sophia wanted to have the piercing, so she made sure everything was done professionally and in accordance with local restrictions.
‘To those who might feel it is inappropriate that my daughter got her nose professionally done, legally done, I’m all about being legal,’ she explained.
‘We abided by the law. I am doing my best as a parent to make sure that she is healthy and happy, and I covered those bases.
‘So congratulations to Sophia. I’m wishing her the best in her teen years, and if she wants to get more piercings, more power to her.’
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