Amber Portwood’s distant relationship with Leah Shirley continues to be a hot topic on Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.
While the mother-daughter duo haven’t always had the closest bond, the current season of MTV’s hit reality show is showcasing just how distant the pair have become.
“I haven’t really talked to [Amber] or seen her in a while. It’s fine,” Leah said on a February 2025 episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. “I don’t really care anymore. I kind of want [my dad’s wife] Kristina [Shirley] to adopt me. I’ve been wanting it for a while just because Kristina’s been there for me since I was, like, in kindergarten and before that.”
After discovering that Gary Shirley and his wife could be taking legal steps to make an adoption possible, Amber expressed how hurt she was.
“When I found out about my daughter saying that she wanted to be adopted, it took over everything,” she shared on an April 2025 episode. “I was really in bed for over four months.”
As both Amber and Leah continue to share their experiences on MTV, many cast members have started to weigh in on the situation. Keep reading to see what they’ve said:
After appearing on separate episodes of 16 and Pregnant in 2009, Maci and Amber have built a special bond as they helped launch the Teen Mom franchise. More than 15 years after first connecting, Maci said she won’t be abandoning her friend.
“Anyone’s opinion on the type of friend I am or how I show up as a friend doesn’t matter to me,” Maci said on an April 2025 episode of Kailyn Lowry’s “Barely Famous” podcast. “I’m not going to stop caring and showing up for anyone that I love because you disagree with it.”
At the same time, Maci expressed to Leah a May 2025 episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter that she was proud of her for handling a difficult situation with strength.
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