Teen Mom star Amber Portwood denies firing rumors, says she give up the present for psychological well being functions
Former Teen Mom star Amber Portwood denied claims she was fired from the reality show’s spin-off series Teen Mom: The Next Chapter in a TikTok livestream over the weekend.
According to the 34-year-old MTV regular, she quit the show last week.
“Not only am I not being let go, I quit three days ago,” she said online on Saturday. “I told Larry, the producer, I quit.
“My mental health was one of the things I said other than the yelling and crying from being so damn hurt from stuff,” she continued, clarifying that her exit from the show wasn’t “confirmed” yet. “I started to see that all they were pushing, all this crazy stuff, that tore my heart out.”
Portwood went on to say: “If I’m gone, who’s gonna be the villain for them? Who’s gonna play that role? Who are they gonna keep lying about and having their puppets making up stories like that?”
The Independent has contacted MTV for comment.
Portwood, who gave birth to her daughter Leah Leann Shirley at the age of 18, faced accusations of being fired earlier this year after she was noticeably absent from the show’s most recent reunion special.
The reality star welcomed Leah (now 16) with her ex-partner Gary Shirley a few years before she welcomed her now-six-year-old son James with her ex Andrew Glennon.
Portwood has been a mainstay on MTV for years, appearing on 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom: Girls’ Night In, Teen Mom 2, Teen Mom: Family Reunion, and Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars.
Portwood was arrested in 2010 for felony domestic violence after her behavior on-screen was flagged by authorities. According to The Hollywood Reporter’s report at the time, Portwood was seen “physically attacking” Leah’s dad.
The reality star pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of domestic battery charges and was later released on a $5,000 bond, per arrest records obtained by In Touch.
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Portwood was sentenced to two years probation and 730 days in jail but only spent two days behind bars after the rest of her time was suspended.
Unrelatedly, Portwood was taken into custody December 2011 and charged with possession of controlled substances after authorities found “a fairly sufficient amount of several different prescription pills” during a probation search.
As a result, Shirley was granted full custody of their daughter Leah.
Portwood was later sentenced to serve a minimum of two years in an Indiana jail after pleading guilty to a felony drug charge in 2012.
The TV mom had agreed to a plea deal that promised she would go to drug rehab, per CNN’s report, but wound up leaving the facility before the agreed-upon date.
She was arrested for violating her drug probation agreement on May 24, 2012.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said Portwood also lied about passing a urine test.
“I just don’t think she knew opting out meant five years in prison,” he said of her decision.
