Mama June First Interview Since Scandal (Watch)

Published on November 13, 2014.

Photo by MediaPunch / Rex Features

In an Entertainment Tonight exclusive, Mama June, aka Shannon, of now-cancelled reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo addressed her relationship with convicted child molester Mark McDaniel.

“I have nothing to hide, I have nothing to lose,” she explained. “I just want, honestly, to tell my side of the story and let’s move on.”

Earlier this week, Mama June said in an interview that her daughter Pumpkin thought McDaniel was her father — but she told ET that Pumpkin’s biological father is actually Michael Anthony Ford, another convicted sex offender.

“Jessica and Pumpkin have the same dad, but Jessica’s dad has had nothing to do with her over the years,” Mama June explained. “So, why the hell would I open up that can of worms until today? I lied to my family and told them it was somebody else.”

Mama June also admitted that she hasn’t read the court documents in which her daughter Anna explained what McDaniel did to her. “You would be horrified if you read what he did to her,” ET‘s Brooke Anderson said.

Watch the video to see Mama June’s response to that, and also whether she understands why viewers are upset with her.

Mama June also claims that she’s not actually dating McDaniel; she’s only seen him a few times, and only because she wanted to arrange meetings for him and Pumpkin so that Pumpkin could get some closure.

“I wanted to be able to give one of my other daughters closure and now Pumpkin is happy, that piece of our life is over,” she said.