“That is his uncle” — Jessica discusses Darrin’s familial link to Josh on Mama June: Family Crisis

The latest Mama June: Family Crisis episode brought a major shock at family dinner when Pumpkin dropped some serious relationship tea. On July 19, 2025, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird revealed she’s now dating Darrin Kitchens, who just so happens to be her ex-husband Josh Efird’s cousin.

The news left everyone speechless, especially Mama June, who didn’t hold back on questioning the timing or even the decision itself. Things got a little confusing until Jessica “Chubbs” Shannon stepped up and explained the family connections with this gem:

“Darrin is kin to Josh’s stepdad. That is his uncle.”

Pumpkin finalized her divorce from Josh back in September 2024 after six years together. They share four kids and currently have joint custody. As always, Family Crisis keeps it real, capturing everything from co-parenting challenges to fresh romantic twists. And leave it to Jessica to be the go-to person for decoding the latest family drama.

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Mama June: Family Crisis’ Pumpkin reveals relationship with Josh, Jessica explains the family ties

The drama unfolded during what started as a routine family gathering on Mama June: Family Crisis. Mama June noticed Pumpkin constantly smiling at her phone, which sparked her curiosity. When pressed for details, Pumpkin admitted she'd been talking to someone special.

The atmosphere shifted when Pumpkin revealed she was dating Darrin. Mama June's immediate reaction was pure confusion. She questioned why Pumpkin would get involved with someone connected to Josh so soon after their divorce proceedings.

Jessica quickly realized she'd unknowingly enabled the romance. She recalled babysitting Pumpkin's children recently, initially believing it was for a business meeting. The flashback shows Pumpkin deliberately being vague about her plans that evening.

Mama June expressed concern about the timing. She pointed out that the divorce paperwork wasn't completely finalized yet. The family matriarch needed time to process this unexpected development.

Pumpkin remained defensive but understanding on Mama June: Family Crisis. She assured everyone that no biological connection existed between Darrin and Josh.

Jessica took on the task of explaining the complicated family dynamics to confused relatives. Her confessional provided crucial context about Josh's background and family structure.

She revealed that Josh knew his biological father but maintained no relationship with him. Instead, Josh grew up with his mother's partner, known to the family as Bubba. This stepfather figure became Josh's primary male role model.

Darrin's connection comes through Bubba, not Josh's biological family line. Jessica emphasized this distinction repeatedly, stating Darrin was Bubba's nephew. She made it clear that no blood relation existed between the two men.

Her explanation helped ease some family tensions. Jessica's matter-of-fact delivery provided the clarity everyone needed to understand the situation properly.

The revelation also highlighted how blended families create complex relationship webs. What initially seemed inappropriate became more understandable once the actual connections were explained, as seen on Mama June: Family Crisis.

Pumpkin admitted that Josh remained unaware of her new romance. She wanted to control how he learned about the relationship, preferring to tell him personally rather than letting gossip spread.

Mama June warned about small-town dynamics. She reminded Pumpkin that news travels fast in their community, making secrecy difficult to maintain long-term.

This concern explained why Pumpkin and Darrin had avoided public outings together. They'd been deliberately keeping their relationship private to prevent premature exposure.

The secrecy added another layer of complexity to an already delicate situation. Pumpkin faced the challenge of timing her disclosure appropriately while managing family reactions.

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Pumpkin moves forward post-divorce

This Mama June: Family Crisis episode focused on Pumpkin's attempts to start over after her marriage ended. In August 2024, she filed for divorce, and the following month, the procedures came to an end.

Ella, Bentley, and twins Sylus and Stella were the four children born during their six-year marriage. The stability of their children was given top priority, and the ex-couple consented to equal custody arrangements.

Pumpkin said she was happy with how her new relationship was going. She expressed confidence for the future by saying things were going well with Darrin.

The case illustrates how families manage relationships after a divorce while preserving ties for the benefit of the kids. Jessica's encouraging justification addressed legitimate worries regarding time and family relations while also helping to validate Pumpkin's decisions.

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Mama June: Family Crisis airs Fridays at 8:00 pm ET on WE tv and streams on AMC+, Peacock Premium, Philo, and The Roku Channel.