Why MTV’s ‘Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant’ Is Reportedly Not Returning For Season 3
The cast of Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant have remained in the headlines since the show’s debut. From casting changes to co-stars coming close to physical fights, the drama has been both on and off camera. But new reports allege that the drama has come to an end after the show was reportedly canceled due to low viewership and ratings.
‘Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant’ debuted in 2018
The Teen Mom franchise spinoff debuted in March 2018 and followed the original 16 and Pregnant format by chronicling five young women’s journey to motherhood. The slight difference in format was that the series did not have individual episodes for each storyline and instead flowed as an ensemble.
The docuseries opened with five expectant mothers: Brianna Jaramillo, Ashley Jones, Kayla Sessler, Lexi Tatman, and Jade Cline. The girls ranged in age from 17 to 21.
The show’s first season was extended to include additional episodes, marketed as “season B.” The series was later renewed for a full second season, with two new moms entering into the fold. Tatum did not return and Cline was transferred to the Teen Mom 2 cast.
‘Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant’ reportedly not returning due to low viewership and ratings
After two seasons, rumors began circulating that the show would not be returning for a third. The rumors were sparked after the cast did not have their own reunion special. Instead, their reunion was merged with the cast of Teen Mom 2 midway through their actual season. More episodes of Young and Pregnant aired post the reunion, which confused fans. The Ashley Roundup followed production closely and revealed that sources connected to the show knew that a cancelation was near.
According to a report from The UK Sun, Young and Pregnant has been canceled due to poor viewership and ratings. Compared to the franchise’s previous spin-offs, the viewership for Young and Pregnant was low. The season debuted with a little over 600,000 viewers, with its peak viewership climbing to a little over 800,000 in its inaugural season.
Many speculated that the viewership was significantly lower than the other shows for two reasons: lack of marketing and viewers growing tired with MTV’s fascination with chronicling teen motherhood. Entertainment Weekly gave the show a B rating in a review of the first episode.
Fans were also shocked by changes in the cast moving into season 2. Tatum’s exit was never explained but it was speculated that producers did not ask her to return because she was considered “boring.”
What will the cast of ‘Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant’ do if the show is canceled?
Though the show is said to be canceled, The Sun reported that the cast is still stuck under their contracts with MTV, which limits their ability to take on other television opportunities with other networks. However, some of the current cast have used their platform to advance their lives outside of reality television.
Jones completed a medical assistance program and currently works full-time in her field. She also has a popular YouTube channel where she shares lifestyle tips and chronicles her daily life. Jones also promotes various brands through paid posts on her Instagram, as does Jaramillo and Sessler.
The cast has not been on the series long enough to begin to monopolize on expanding their brands as other cast members have from the franchise with book deals and clothing companies. While they remain under their contracts, it is possible that MTV may decide to transfer them to a different series.
