Ryan Edwards and Mackenzie Edwards are leaving Teen Mom.
The couple, who is expecting their first child together, tells E! News that they won’t be returning to the MTV series for the new season. “We’re not returning to Teen Mom this season. The network told us they don’t want to show Ryan as a recovering addict,” Mackenzie claims. “But they did want to enter a contract with our unborn baby and have the baby film with Ryan’s parents so it would look like someone else is raising it.”
We’ve seen Ryan, who also shares son Bentley with ex Maci Bookout, go through ups and downs on the series over the years, and it sounds like his time on the show has come to an end.
“They also want to take Maci’s word on how I’m doing,” Ryan tells E! News. “Maci’s said she’s not going to film unless I enter rehab again and quit the show. But I’m sober.”
This news comes shortly after it was revealed that Bristol Palin is joining the cast of Teen Mom OG, but the casting doesn’t seem to be related to the couple’s departure.
“I know they did want five girls to begin with after Farrah [Abraham] left to sort of resemble Teen Mom 2,” Mackenzie says. “But they didn’t want to see another recovering addict storyline. So they’re writing us out of the show right now and making it seem like we dipped out on our baby, on Bentley and on everyone. And that’s just not the case.”
Ryan adds, “They want to want to talk about us but they don’t want to pay us and film us.” His parents, however, will continue to film the show with Bentley and he’s OK with that.
“The show had been paying for my healthcare and for the baby so they could film the visits and then a week ago they let me know that would no longer be the case,” Mackenzie tells E! News. “They’re not going to film the birth. We’re not going to be on at all. Maci can’t speak to Ryan and Ryan can’t speak to Maci – that was a mutual decision. But she doesn’t know what’s going on in our lives.”
Would the couple consider returning to the show after next season if they were to be asked? Mackenzie tells us, “If they don’t want to film now, then we don’t want to film later.”
Mackenzie and Ryan revealed on Teen Mom OG in March that they’re expecting their first child together. Mackenzie also has a son named Hudson with her ex Zachary Stephens.
E! News has reached out to MTV for comment.