Stephen Collins was widely revered as “America’s dad” during his time starring as Reverend Eric Camden on 7th Heaven from 1996-2007. When the show concluded after 11 seasons, Collins continued to work in television and movies, but his career came to a screeching halt after a sexual misconduct scandal in 2014.
Now, Collins has not starred in a movie or television series in more than 11 years, and his fall from grace will be examined on the March 24 episode of ID Discovery’s Hollywood Demons. Scroll down for everything we know about Collins’ scandal and where he is today.
Where is Stephen Collins now?
Collins is living a quiet life in Fairfield, Iowa. He was photographed out and about in May 2024 for the first time in five years. His career as a Hollywood actor ended after he confessed to sexual misconduct with underage girls (more on that below).
Who is Stephen Collins’ girlfriend?
Despite the scandal, Collins has found love again. After separating from Faye Grant after 27 years of marriage in 2012 (the divorce was finalized in 2015), the former actor has moved on with Jenny Nagel. Nagel is reportedly a “superfan” who is 40 years Collins’ junior, according to Dr. Drew Pinsky.
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“Stephen Collins now lives with a woman who is 40 years younger than him,” Dr. Drew claims in Hollywood Demons, according to the New York Post. “She was a superfan. The age difference — given what we know about his history — certainly raises an eyebrow. Let’s hope he can commit to this woman and not perpetrate on others.” The couple was first linked in 2019, and Daily Mail reported that they were married.
What did Stephen Collins do?
Collins was investigated in October 2014 after an audio tape from 2012 was leaked to the media that featured him confessing to previously sexually abusing three underage girls. He confessed to the sexual misconduct during a December 2014 interview with Katie Couric on 20/20.
Collins confirmed that he exposed himself to a 10-year-old girl in 1973 when he was 25 years old. He also said that he exposed himself to a 13-year-old girl in 1982 and a 14-year-old girl in 1994. However, he insisted, “I am absolutely not attracted, physically or sexually attracted, to children.”
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department revealed that Collins had been investigated in 2012, but no charges were ever brought against the actor because they could not “substantiate the allegation” against him. When the case was reopened in 2014, the statute of limitations had passed, according to the Los Angeles Times.
What has 7th Heaven cast said about Stephen Collins?
While the cast of 7th Heaven has mostly kept tight-lipped about Collins’ confession, Beverly Mitchell, David Gallagher, and Mackenzie Rosman, who played Lucy, Simon, and Ruthie on the series, briefly spoke about the situation in the pilot episode of their 7th Heaven rewatch podcast, Catching Up With the Camdens, in September 2024.
“Before we get into that we do think it’s important that we say something about Stephen Collins,” Mitchell began, while Gallagher added, “All forms of abuse, sexual abuse of any kind, it’s inexcusable. And victims of abuse need to be shown compassion and they should be given support.” Rosman continued, “As we rewatch these episodes, it would be impossible not to talk about Stephen because he was such a big part of the show and our lives. But we want to be clear that we did not have any inappropriate experiences with Stephen.”
The statement continued with Mitchell adding, “Stephen will not be joining us on this podcast and we do not excuse or condone his behavior. Our hope for this podcast is to reconnect with you, our fans, to relive some 90s nostalgia and to share our fondest memories of 7th Heaven,” and concluded with Gallagher saying, “We know this is difficult and we understand that it can be triggering but we just want to say that we love you guys and we are so grateful for all the love and support that you, our community, have shown to us. So, hopefully you guys will stick with us as we continue on this journey.”
ID Discovery reached out to over 100 people to interview for Hollywood Demons, but most declined. However, Andrew Searles, who starred on the last four seasons of 7th Heaven as Mac, and Jeremy London, who played a fellow minister on the show in Seasons 7 and 8, both appeared in the special.
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Searles recalled wanting to “model [himself]” after Collins while they worked together. He got emotional while watching the clip of his former costar admitting to the sexual abuse, according to The Daily Beast.
“I have, like, a knot in my stomach,” Searles said. “My whole world changed when I had kids, my whole world view. And certainly my tolerance for this. I think that goes without being said. I just think that maybe I put him up on a professional pedestal a bit too much.”
London admitted that he was hesitant to believe the allegations against Collins at first. However, after hearing the confession, he said, “It’s tough. It’s hard. I’m a dad, first and foremost, above everything else. And so my first thoughts always go to the children. Stephen Collins would be a dead man if that was my child.”
Hollywood Demons, Mondays, 9/8c, ID and Max
