Jon Gosselin sues TLC for robbing his business opportunities

Gosselin and his estranged wife Kate, along with their eight children-- 8-year-old twins and 5-year-old sextuplets-- appear in TLC's most-watched reality series, “Jon & Kate Plus 8”. Gosselins are currently in the midst of their highly publicized break-up.

After the couple’s divorce announcement in June, U.S. cabler TLC decided to dump Gosselin and turn their focus more on Kate and her journey as a single mother of eight. Infuriated Gosselin then served TLC with a cease-and-desist order, forcing the network to suspend filming of the children on the show.

Last month, TLC sued the 32-year-old octodad for breach of contract, alleging that Gosselin failed to meet his obligations as an employee.

Jon counter-sues TLC
In response to the network’s lawsuit, Gosselin has filed a counter lawsuit against the cable channel, claiming it hurt his reputation and prevented him from working, People.com reported Friday.

The magazine reports that an exclusivity clause in Gosselins’ contract with the network is keeping him from working with other media outlets.

TLC contract is unfair
The $5 million lawsuit filed Thursday in Maryland's Montgomery County Circuit Court alleges that Discovery Communications-- the parent company of TLC which had the family sign a complicated deal in 2005 without the advice of a lawyer-- persuaded various media outlets to stop dealing with him.

"I do not believe we were paid a fair amount for the overreaching and overly restrictive contract — my family was initially paid $2,000 per episode for all ten members of my family and the use of my family home for filming," Gosselin wrote in a court filing.

He emphasized that they accepted the deal because they were "in desperate need of revenue to meet the needs of our eight children”.

"Their behavior has caused Jon great anguish and it has caused him financial losses," his attorney, Mark Heller, told the magazine.

TLC hindered Jon’s ability to make money
In his lawsuit, Gosselin alleges that TLC's Rockville, Md.-based parent company, Discovery Communications, contacted various media outlets and persuaded them not to hire him for anything.

"As a result of Plaintiff-Discovery's conduct and actions, [Gosselin] has suffered and will continue to suffer harm to his reputation, lost business opportunities, lost profits, and other consequential damages, such as, but not limited to, a loss of good will and name recognition," according to a Radar Online report, citing a copy of the lawsuit.

Besides cutting Jon Gosselin off from the media, the lawsuit is accusing TLC of violating Pennsylvania’s child labor laws, and owing the dad of eight $175,000.