Not since the heyday of Lucille Ball has one woman been so visible on TV — and now it's Kate Gosselin's turn.
From her launching pad to fame, "Jon & Kate Plus 8," to her current stint on "Dancing with the Stars," the mother-dancer-divorcée is now poised to star in her own new series, "Twist of Kate," as well as several "Kate Plus 8" specials, a rep for TLC confirms to PEOPLE.
As the title points out, the "Kate Plus 8" specials will focus on her life as a single mother and costar the young Gosselin brood, despite the series of well-publicized clashes between Kate and her ex, Jon, over custody of the children.
In 12 episodes due to begin airing this summer, "Twist of Kate" will charter new territory, with Gosselin responding to fan letters from those inspired by her story as a means to profile women in their own challenging situations, reports USA Today. "I look at it as a loose concept," Gosselin tells the paper, which notes that the reality TV star — who's also been a guest host on "The View" — never considered dating or talk shows. "I want to be out there learning from others, helping to provide insight whenever I can, though I don't consider myself an expert on anything." As for her own challenges on "DWTS" (and elsewhere, for that matter): "The fact that people really support me and want the kids and I to do well ... is flattering," she says. "I never understood the importance of fans until we struggled and went through tough times."