Kate Gosselin to Launch New Show

April 8, 2010 — -- The former star of "Jon and Kate Plus 8" will launch a new series on TLC in August called "Twist of Kate," TLC announced today.

The show will feature Kate Gosselin visiting parents around the country as they try to balance work, family and "other challenges life throws at them," TLC said in its statement.

"In each episode, she'll walk a mile in someone else's shoes - meeting real families in the middle of their own extraordinary challenges," the TLC statement said.

The "Dancing With the Stars" contestant will also star in a series of specials called "Kate Plus 8" featuring her and her children in June.

Gosselin is currently in the midst of a custody battle with her ex-husband Jon Gosselin.

The reality-star dad filed suit for primary custody of the couple's eight children in Berks County, Pa., Wednesday, claiming in court documents she "abuses" her authority concerning visits with the kids, The Associated Press reported.

Jon Gosselin's attorney, Anthony List, previously criticized Kate as an "absentee parent," the AP reported.

Kate Gosselin's attorney, Mark Momjian, returned fire Tuesday, telling the AP the allegations were "patently false."

"It's deplorable to make a comment like that," Momjian said. "I know Kate Gosselin is all about her children, and she's always been about her children."

The suit came just after Kate Gosselin told "Good Morning America" that she took the job on "Dancing" in order to provide for her many children and was hurt by implications otherwise.

"That just does me in," she said Monday. "[I'll take] any work that comes my way -- and this job [on 'Dancing'] is most cost-effective. I hate being away from my kids. If it could all go away because I was financially set and I could stay home and bake and cook from scratch, I'd like to do that. I'd so be there."

In an effort to keep up her hectic schedule, Kate Gosselin had a dance studio installed in her Pennsylvania basement, where she trains. She only commutes to Los Angeles for her performances.

"I have to do this for my kids, and I'm doing it to better their future because I love them more than anything," Gosselin said through tears Monday. "They're my life and I miss them, but they understand. They watch me work, and they're really proud of me."

Despite the suit, Jon and his attorney reportedly cast votes in the last "Dancing" competition for Kate to stay on the show.

Jon and Kate Gosselin were reality stars on their show "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" until last year, when the couple divorced.

Kate Survives Last 'Dancing' Round of Cuts

Since her first stiff performance, critics and judges have panned Kate Gosselin's dancing skills. But she's managed to survive the first two elimination rounds.

On Tuesday night, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin bid farewell to the audience after earning only 13 points from the judges.

"I'm very proud to have had the opportunity to inspire a number of us who are trying to keep very active," Aldrin said on "Good Morning America" Wednesday.

Aldrin said he hoped his appearance on the show would bring attention to the space program.

"I'm really looking forward to making some major contributions to the administration's policy that will be carried out by the Congress for the benefit of all those who have worked so hard for so many years" on the space program, said Aldrin, who piloted the first manned lunar landing. "The airspace industry defends our country."

Last week, Gosselin admitted that being on the show "is a lot harder than I ever imagined," and indeed, "Dancing With the Stars" hasn't been kind to Gosselin, though she's already earned her reality-TV stripes many times over.

Previously, her partner, Tony Dovolani, raged at her lack of talent, venting, "Nothing in dancing is natural to Kate."

As she nagged him again and again about the moves, he growled, "I've never been questioned in my teaching."

He finally exploded, "I quit."

Dovolani came back to Gosselin, but the dancing hasn't gotten much better. On the night Aldrin received a 13, Gosselin and Dovolani did only two points better.

ABC News' Kate McCarthy contributed to this report.

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