Kailyn Lowry is opening up about her decision to leave the world of Teen Mom behind 15 years after making her 16 and Pregnant debut.
The Teen Mom 2 alum, who exited the series in 2022 after getting pregnant with her fifth son, Rio, opened up about feeling “pigeonholed” by the show in a new interview with PEOPLE.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Lowry, 33, explained that by the time she was ready to leave Teen Mom, she had become very selective about what she shared with viewers in response to how her story was edited and received by fans.
“I think closer to the time that I decided to leave the franchise, it was more of [me feeling] like, ‘I am making very calculated decisions and sharing only certain things or making myself available at certain times for certain reasons,’” she told the outlet in an interview published Monday.
“It made it very difficult for production to create a full picture and full story for me on the show,” Lowry contrinued. “At that point it was like, ‘I have to think about how it’s going to play out for the viewers and that is how people will perceive whatever it is that I’m going through or doing.’ And that was really, really hard for me because I wasn’t the same person that I was when I started.”
Lowry said by the time she announced to viewers that she would not be returning, she felt like her time on the show “had run its course” as she found success in podcasting.
“I had just built this house and we were on to different things that we would not be able to tell the full story the way that we wanted to and the way that it really happened,” she said. “You’re edited down to four minutes a cast member, and I didn’t want certain things to not be shown. I wanted more of a full picture.”
Lowry was also influenced to leave by her new relationship with now-fiancé Elijah Scott. “He had never been on TV. He’s never been a teen dad. And so, for us, I had felt like it was time for us to move on,” she shared. “I’m thankful that I was on it. I don’t have many regrets about it. To this day, I think it was the right decision.”
More Reality
-
Photo by Paula Lobo/American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. via Getty Images -
Mel B at the "America's Got Talent" Season 21 Red Carpet held at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty Images) -
“Reverse the Curse” – Back from tribal, tensions rise following the exit of a particularly historic player. The final five immunity challenge ends in a showdown and features one of the closest finishes the show has ever seen. Jeff reveals the outcomes of the remaining in-game fan votes and how they impact the final stage of the competition. Then, one castaway will be crowned Sole Survivor and awarded the $2 million prize, during the three-hour live season finale, on SURVIVOR 50, Wednesday, May 20 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Jeff Probst serves as host and executive producer. Pictured: Aubry Bracco Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -
“A Side Dish of Chaos” – One castaway comes clean to the tribe about a previously deceptive move. The crowd favorite SURVIVOR auction returns, with an extra special season 50 spin. Chaos ensues when social media icon MrBeast arrives on the scene, on SURVIVOR 50, Wednesday, April 29 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT). Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 28: West Wilson, Amanda Batula and Jesse Solomon attend Bravo's "Summer House" Season 10 at 92NY on January 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) -
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 22: (L-R) Colin Dooley and Baylen Dupree attend the FYC screening of TLC's "Baylen Out Loud" at Pacific Design Center on April 22, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for TLC)
