Jon Minus Kate (Plus 8)?

Big news is a-brewin' for TLC's most-talked about reality family.

According to the Detroit Free Press, TLC will air a special episode on 9 p.m. Monday of "Jon and Kate Plus 8" where they have an announcement to make. According to the promo, Kate Gosselin says the family has recently made some "life changing decisions... that will affect every member of our family, ones that we hope will bring each of us some peace."

Cue the gossip blogs. With tabloid rumors of Jon Gosselin's infidelity and the obvious on-camera estrangement between the couple, the watch word of the day is the "D" word. Will the Gosselins split up? Will they call it quits for the show? Or, is it possible that Kate is somehow preggers again? Or it this just another ploy from TLC to keep people tuned to the show?

I'm a newcomer to the Gosselin world. My interest, perhaps like the 9.8 million other viewers who tuned in for the premiere of this season, was piqued by the endless covers of People magazine, and perhaps a little schadenfreude. No doubt many of these questions will be answered on Monday, but for now I've come up with a few hypothetical titles should TLC consider keeping the Gosselins on air despite their break-up or new baby.

1. The couple separate. Kate moves out. Jon (Minus Kate) Plus 8

2. The couple separate. Jon moves out. Kate (Minus Jon) Plus 8

3. The couple divorces and splits custody of the kids. Jon Plus 4 and Kate Plus 4

4. The couple announces they're having another kid. Jon and Kate Plus Nine/Ten/Eleven etc.

5. The couple quits the show. Jon and Kate Plus Eight Is Enough

6. The couple splits. Jon marries the Octomom. Jon (Minus Kate) Plus Eight and Octomom Plus Fourteen

7. The couple splits. Kate hooks up with a Duggar. Cannot compute title

Any thoughts on the special announcement? Is it a ploy or a precursor to divorce?

--Malavika Jagannathan, mjaganna@greenbaypressgazette.com