EXCLUSIVE: It’s not always easy for Amber Portwood to be in the spotlight.
The “Teen Mom OG” star made headlines in January after the 30-year-old got a restraining order against her ex Andrew Glennon amid the couple’s custody, People magazine reported.
Portwood and Glennon share a 2-year-old son named James. She is also a mother to 12-year-old daughter Leah, whom she shares with ex Gary Shirley. She previously opened up about her legal issues in an episode that aired in April 2020.
“I personally believe in fairness,” Portwood told Fox News. “If you’re on TV, a reality TV show or a docu series, if you’re not being honest, there’s no reason for you to be on TV. We’re here to make a point or to promote our platform. for a good reason. We all have different stories. We all have our own way of showing them, and that’s the beauty of it. “
‘TEEN MOM’ STAR AMBER PORTWOOD ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
‘Teen Mom’, which premiered in 2009, is a spin-off from MTV’s ’16 and Pregnant ‘. Amber Portwood joined the cast in 2009.
(Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images)
“There are people who come to us and give us tremendous strength because they let us know that they feel the same way,” she continued. ‘They go through the same things, or worse, and it puts things into perspective for me. I am beginning to understand that I am not often the only one. ‘
Portwood has faced other personal fights while writing her life story for the MTV series. She was arrested in 2019 for allegedly assaulting Glennon while holding their son, People magazine reported.
According to the point of sale, Portwood was charged with a household battery, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and a household battery committed in the presence of a child under 16 years old. Glennon filed for arrest shortly after the arrest.
Although MTV cameras were not allowed in court, Glennon’s statement of victim was heard via audio, the outlet shared.
‘TEEN MOM’ STAR AMBER PORTWOOD SAYS SHE STARTED ON 11 YEARS OF PILLS
In happier times: Andrew Glennon, left, and Amber Portwood attend the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California.
(Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)
Portwood said she does not regret appearing on the reality TV series. Despite the public criticism, she hopes her story will resonate with other young parents going through similar struggles.
“To sit here and find out that you’ve helped so many people over a decade of your life – I mean, that’s great to have that platform,” she explained. It’s nice to understand that you may not have a degree in something, but you’ve helped so many people … get ahead. Because we need that. It’s been really amazing, frankly. If I’m not authentic. , I don’t want to be filmed. “
Portwood’s co-star Maci Bookout also told Fox News that the women are facing harsh criticism from the press. However, she insisted that their children were always the focus. The 29-year-old is a mother of three.
“I feel like what’s on the show is real,” Bookout told Fox News. “I’ll be honest, I don’t really watch social media … I do know that in the gossip magazines I’m constantly pregnant or something. I now have thirty children. That’s getting annoying.”
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Still, Bookout said it was “very important” to record their lives.
Maci Bookout is one of the stars of MTV’s ‘Teen Mom OG.’
(Denise Truscello / WireImage / Getty Images)
“I think the goal for all girls changes from season to season,” she explained. “I think it’s important for people to see that we are human, so we all go through different struggles and experiences like everyone else. I think, for a lot of people, when we share our struggles or something that we deal with or try to navigate, it helps, and maybe they are going through something similar. ”
“… And it makes us feel like we’re not alone,” Bookout said. “So it’s very important for us to share our stories and be authentic about them. It’s definitely not easy.”
The new season of “Teen Mom OG” explores the biggest challenge the cast has faced: parenting during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s been tough,” Portwood admitted. “I have to drive to see my kids [at least] an hour there and an hour back so usually it’s about a four hour drive to see my kids most of the time. I’m that a lot in public, touching the gas nozzles a little extra. I do too much. It’s a bit scary. It puts me in public more than I wanted to be, but it’s a weekly thing, and you’re just moving forward. “
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“You do what you have to do,” Portwood shared. “You stay clean. You try to listen to what the scientists say, what I really believe in. You just try to make sure whatever you do is the safest for you, your kids and your family. It’s hard … But I’m still going. I ride in that cold weather and still try to be the best mom I can be and be there for my kids. “
“Teen Mom OG” airs on MTV Tuesday at 8pm ET.