Jon and Kate Gosselin aren't the only ones taking a break.
Production on their claim to fame, TLC's reality hit Jon & Kate Plus 8, is going on hiatus.
Last night's sixth episode of the 40-ep season featured the couple announcing their separation and plans to live in different cities—a bombshell that attracted a TLC-record 10.6 million viewers.
But despite the huge ratings, the network and the family are "taking some time off to regroup," according to a TLC statement.
Next Monday's go-round will be a clip reel of the high- (and low-) lights from the couple's 10-year marriage, with a few pieces of new footage. The next new episode, however, won't air until Aug. 3, "and then a modified schedule will be in place to support the family's transition," the network says.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the decision came from TLC and not the family. Because of the couple's faltering marriage, production on each episode thus far had been down to the minute, and word is they simply don't have enough footage at the moment to create fresh installments.
There's been no additional comment from the Gosselins today, but the family attempted to maintain some normalcy. Both were actually present at their Pennsylvania home for the first time in recent memory, playing with the kids in the yard. Later, Kate took out her new car around town to run some errands.
(Originally published June 23, 2009, at 11:36 a.m. PT)