She’s been stealing the headlines since Seven Year Switch started, thanks to her fiery nature and past as a webcam model.
But outspoken reality star Kaitlyn reveals to TV WEEK she’s lucky to have made it on to the show at all, after nearly succumbing to alcohol addiction.
“I was in such a bad place when I was drinking a lot,” Kaitlyn, 28, explains.
“My family thought they were going to lose another child and wanted to cut me off, because that’s what rehab teaches them to do.”
Kaitlyn’s family had already suffered tragedy in 2010 when her 19-year-old brother, Eric, lost his life in a motorbike accident in Kaitlyn’s native Florida in the US. His passing sent her into a spiral of drinking and resulted in two trips to rehab.
“It took a couple of stints in rehab, but I turned my life around,” Kaitlyn says. “I could see how hard it was for my family to watch me go down this scary path.”
She adds: “One day, I realised it wasn’t what I wanted with my life, and I’ve never been happier. I came back from the brink.”
Mark and Kaitlyn are giving their relationship one last shot on Seven Year Switch.
Following her successful time in rehab in the US, Kaitlyn relocated to Australia. She plans to stay – for now.
“I bought a ticket to Australia and haven’t looked back,” she grins. “I love it here and could see myself starting a family and settling down.
“But I do have gypsy feet a bit, so I may travel around a little.”
Of her time on the reality show, Kaitlyn, who was paired with Michael for the social experiment, doesn’t regret a thing.
“I thought it was going to be fun – this great experience – but I didn’t take it too seriously,” she says, hinting she’s ended it with her boyfriend of three years, Mark.
“The outcome wasn’t what I wanted, but was best in the long run,” she says.
