QUICK TAKES - Oct. 2, 2009

The battle between reality show stars Jon and Kate Gosselin ratcheted up another notch Thursday with the news that TLC temporarily suspended filming the couple’s eight children after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Jon’s attorney.

Earlier this week, TLC announced that the “Jon & Kate Plus 8” series was being renamed simply “Kate Plus 8” to accommodate the couple’s recent split. The revamped program, set to premiere Nov. 2, would focus largely on Kate’s role as a single mother, with Jon appearing occasionally.

But Jon Gosselin apparently isn’t on board with that plan. His lawyer, Mark Jay Heller, wrote to the cable channel that Gosselin believes his children’s continued participation is detrimental to them. Any crews who enter the family’s Pennsylvania home will be considered trespassers, the attorney said.

“We are aware of Jon Gosselin’s recent statements and remain deeply disappointed at his continued erratic behavior,” the network said. But TLC said it had suspended filming the children “pending further conversations between both parents.”

Kate Gosselin also released a statement, saying in part, “I do the show for my family because I believe it provides us opportunities we wouldn’t otherwise have. Jon used to share that belief until as recently as the day the network announced the name change of the show and indicated that Jon would have a lesser role in the show.”

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Matea Gold