Dr. Drew Pinsky told Teen Mom 2 star Chelsea Houska he was “pissed and sad” when he found out she was leaving the series. She has been filming with them for more than a decade, and Chelsea’s retirement isn’t something the reunion host saw coming. MTV released a sneak peek clip of Part 1 of the reunion, where Chelsea told her co-stars for the first time that she made the decision to exit the series on January 5.
The person who arguably seemed the most stunned by the news was Dr. Drew. “Am I the only one who is both pissed and sad?” he asked when co-host Nessa Diab asked how he was feeling. “My question is and I have a mix of emotions and I’m sort of keeping a lid on them at the moment — but why?!” he said. “Why are you doing this?”
Chelsea had a simple answer: Filming the show didn’t feel right for her and her family anymore. It was heightened by the coronavirus pandemic, which meant her children — including her toddlers — had to be tested three times a week. She previously expressed that she wasn’t sure putting her children through the tests was worth it.
“Watching this last season, I was getting a bad feeling in my stomach,” she explained. “It just feels like it’s time to close the chapter. I’m almost 30. I’m having my fourth baby. It just feels like the right time.”
Viewers have watched Chelsea grow up on the show as she learned how to become a mother to 10-year-old daughter Aubree and navigate her relationship with ex-boyfriend Adam Lind. She went on to marry husband Cole DeBoer after they met at a gas station, and they now have two children together — 3-year-old son Watson and 2-year-old daughter Layne — and they’re expecting their third baby in February.
Chelsea Says Leaving ‘Teen Mom’ Was ‘Bittersweet’
Making the decision to leave MTV wasn’t an easy choice for Chelsea.
“This is gonna be my final season, my finale reunion, and it is definitely bittersweet,” she said. “And it’s weird that the last one is here, like this, and we’re not all together.”
Chelsea made her announcement at the beginning of the show, which seemed to leave Jade Cline shocked. MTV cut to Jade’s face when Chelsea made the announcement, and she looked surprised.
“I didn’t expect it, especially because she’s having a new baby,” Jade, the newest member of the franchise, said. “It seemed like there was a lot of stuff going on but I totally understand wanting to step back from the reality TV world.”
Leah agreed that it was bittersweet, but she was happy to see what Chelsea pursued next. “I think Chelsea and her family get to make the best decision for their family at the end of the day,” she said. “I wish them nothing but the best.”
Briana DeJesus also offered her support to Chelsea. “More power to you!” she told her co-star. “Good luck on your journey with you and your family. I wish you nothing but the best!”
Kailyn Lowry, who has been working with Chelsea since the show took off, seemed the least surprised. “We’ve been doing this together for 10 years but I’m really excited to see what opportunities she has once she moves on from this,” Kailyn said. She added that she and Chelsea had been texting, so she wasn’t caught completely off guard.
Chelsea Confirmed She Was Leaving in November
Rumors had been swirling before Chelsea officially announced that she was leaving the series. At the time, she didn’t give a reason but said she was grateful for the opportunity and would like her fans to continue to follow her journey.
“After much thought and discussion with my family and friends, Cole and I have decided that this season will be our last. We are forever thankful to MTV and our crew, who are like family to us,” she said. “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.”
When the final episode aired on December 29, 2020, Chelsea shared a picture of herself after she gave birth to Aubree. “Baby Aubree and a baby Chelsea in 2009,” she wrote. “I want to thank you all for watching my story, supporting me, and rooting for me the last 11 years. I am proud of my full story that I was able to share….and to all the single mamas out there, or to those of you feeling stuck in a bad relationship…I’m rooting for you, too 🖤 you got this.”
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Dr. Drew Is ‘Pissed’ at Teen Mom Star Chelsea Houska