‘Teen Mom 2’: Ashley Jones Talks Joining Show After Chelsea Houska’s Exit

Back in November 2020, Teen Mom 2 star Chelsea Houska announced that she would be leaving the show after ten seasons. The reality series later announced that Ashley Jones from Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant would be joining the cast in light of Houska’s departure. During an interview with InTouch Weekly, Jones spoke out about stepping into Houska’s shoes and noted that she “would never want to replace her.”

When asked about Houska’s exit from the series and her inclusion in the current season, Jones stressed that she’s not a “replacement” but an “addition.” She went on to say that there’s no replacing Houska and that she won’t be trying to, as she’s simply going to be herself. Jones explained, “Chelsea has bared her soul on this show for years and I would never want to replace her. You know what I’m saying? She’s irreplaceable, there’s no one that can replace that. And I’m just honored to be a part of something. Now I feel like, Chelsea’s not gone or forgotten. She’s just moved on to bigger and better things. And I feel like that’s the point.”

Jones previously starred alongside Kiaya Elliott, Brianna Jaramillo, Kayla Sessler, and Rachel Beaver on Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant. While she was on a similar journey with her co-stars, Jones did say that she feels a much closer connection to those on Teen Mom 2, the cast of which includes Kailyn Lowry, Leak Messer, Briana DeJesus, and Jade Cline. The 24-year-old added, “Me and my Young and Pregnant costars, we are on, definitely, a better ground now, and I’m appreciative of that. But also I do feel like moving into Teen Mom 2, I’ve gained another Teen Mom family. Those girls are different, different personalities, different stories and so it’s just nice to be able to have that support from different corners.”

Jones made her debut on Teen Mom 2 during the May 4 episode of the series. Her debut came months after Houska took to Instagram to open up about leaving the MTV series. At the time, she told her fans that she and her husband, Cole DeBoer, decided that it would be best to take a step back from the show. She wrote, in part, “We are forever thankful to MTV and our crew, who are like family to us. We’re parting on the best of terms and will stay in touch long after this. We’re proud to have been able to share our story and are so grateful to the fans who have followed our journey from the beginning.” Disclosure: PopCulture is owned by ViacomCBS Streaming, a division of ViacomCBS.