“I like being with someone I really like,” Kim Plath said of her new boyfriend, reflecting on her impending divorce from estranged husband Barry Plath
Kim Plath’s new love story is just beginning.
Get a PEOPLE exclusive peek on Tuesday Welcome to Plathville, Kim, 51, is asking her lover, Ken Palmer, to define their relationship. At such a moment, nerves could be at a high level, but Kim remains collected, calm and composed.
“What would you consider our relationship? Would you call me your girlfriend?” she asks Ken over the sushi.
‘Welcome to Plathville’ is back! Ethan and Olivia Plath Continue to Fight, Kim Has a New Man (Exclusive)
Ken Palmer and Kim Plath share a kiss after defining their relationship.
TLC
A moment of suspense flies by and ends with Ken happily accepting the suggestion to title their relationship. “Oh, definitely, if you would accept that title,” he says.
It’s a no-brainer for Kim. “I thought we were probably at the point where we would call it boyfriend-girlfriend.”
Ken and Kim met at one of Isaac Plath’s flying lessons, as Ken was her son’s flying instructor and former work colleague. Although this could cause tension in the family, Ken sees great potential. Still, the couple keeps their loved ones in mind as they embark on the commitment. “I really like you a lot. And I can really see a future with you,” says Ken. “And it’s important to me that everyone agrees with that.”
After a sweet talk, Ken and Kim share a kiss at the sushi table, while matriarch Plath thanks Ken for taking her out to a nice dinner.
‘Welcome to Plathville’: Ethan Plath feels ‘caught in the middle’ between his siblings and wife Olivia
The whole situation is like an unexpected dream for Kim, who is separated from her husband Barry Plath.
“The whole divorce process — it was hard, but at the end of the day, I mean, I like being with someone I really like,” she says in a confessional interview. “It is strange, on the one hand, to be a girl and on the other hand to be over 50 years old. I never thought I’d get a second chance at love, and it seems I did.”
In last week’s episode, Kim told her friend Alicia about Ken: “It’s really refreshing to finally be with someone who listens to me and who hears me, who really hears me,” she said. And hears beyond my words. He doesn’t just hear the words I say, he hears the heart behind it. And I feel like it’s something I’ve been hungry for for a long time.”
As excited as she was about her new relationship, she admitted that she was nervous to tell her children that she was seeing someone. I’m terrified, she said. “I’m not saying we’re going to get married or that’s it or anything. But he’s a part of my life now. And I guess it’s serious enough that I want to tell the kids.”
She continued, “I think I’m probably the most nervous to tell Isaac, just because I know how much it means to Ken. But if Isaac isn’t okay with me dating Ken, I guess we’ll just have to talk about it. At the end of the day, I have to bring some decisions that are best for me. You know, in 10 years there will be no children in the house. They will all be adults with their partners, their own jobs, their own lives. And then what will I be left with? You know, I should be left with a life that is a life that I want to live.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1499x0:1501x2)/Plathville-Exclusive-083023-2-b35bf2d561e4491d915da478ef8c4f0b.jpg)
Photo of the cast of ‘Welcome to Plathville’.
TLC
Plath and Barry separated in 2022 after 24 years of marriage. A tense split was shown during the 4th season Welcome to Plathville. “Although this was not an easy decision, we know it is the best choice for both of us. We have been through many ups and downs in our 24 years of marriage and as we navigate this new chapter in our lives, we will co-parent our amazing children.” said the parents of nine children at the time.
Kim now lives in her own apartment, while Barry and the couple’s younger children (who have not yet moved out) live in the family home.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Welcome to Plathville airs Tuesdays at 10pm ET on TLC.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education