Teen Mom OG alum Mackenzie Edwards has a new man in her life, and he’s speaking out since their relationship went public.
As Monsters and Critics previously reported, Mackenzie began dating 30-year-old Josh Panter, a divorced dad of two, earlier this year.
According to reports, Mackenzie and Josh began dating around January 2023, and the two have been inseparable ever since.
Mackenzie filed for divorce from Ryan Edwards in February 2023, right around the time he went on multiple social media tirades, accusing her of cheating on him.
While Mackenzie awaits divorce proceedings — as Ryan is currently serving time behind bars following his third arrest in a span of three months — things are getting serious between her and Josh.
Josh recently spoke with The Sun and revealed that things are going well between himself and the former MTV star.
Mackenzie Edwards’ boyfriend Josh Panter says they’re ‘enjoying’ each other’s company
“I have known Mackenzie for 10 years or so, then earlier this year we got reconnected,” Josh told the outlet.
The Stetley Excavating owner added, “Mackenzie and I are friends and enjoy each other’s company. Neither of us are worried about ‘titles.’ We both just came out of a marriage.”
Teen Mom alum Mackenzie began dating Josh around the time she filed for divorce from Ryan Edwards
Josh filed for divorce from his ex-wife, Brooklynn Panter, in June 2022, and their divorce was finalized in February 2023 — the same month Mackenzie filed for divorce from Ryan.
Mackenzie reportedly met with Brooklynn to form a relationship with her since she spends time with her and Josh’s children. An insider said that Mackenzie wanted to start their relationship off on the right foot, unlike the way she handled things with Ryan’s ex and baby mama, Maci Bookout, which she reportedly said she “messed up.”
According to the source, Brooklynn “respected” Mackenzie’s decision to reach out and discuss things over lunch.
Mackenzie has been spending a lot of time with Josh, says a source close to the couple, adding that his family “seems to like her.” Additionally, a source told The Sun that Josh helped Mackenzie clear the wreckage after she and Ryan’s former Tennessee home was trashed.
Mackenzie became distraught — as seen in police body cam footage — when she saw the wreckage inflicted on her home, especially because Jagger and Stella’s bedrooms were trashed during the destruction.
The 26-year-old mom of three broke down in front of police officers, telling them that Ryan’s drug use “got to be too much” for her to handle.
While Ryan is serving jail time for the next 11 months, Mackenzie retains custody of their two young children, Jagger, 4, and Stella, 3. Mackenzie also shares an 8-year-old son, Hudson, with her ex-husband, Zachary Stephens.
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