Meet 3 'MILFs' who decided to date each other's sons on television

• TLC's new television series "MILF Manor" debuted on Sunday January 15.
• The series follows single moms dating each other's sons and shows their awkward sex talks, hookups, and dates.

When April Jayne's husband of three years died suddenly in July 2021, distractions were the only way she could handle the grief.

Jayne, a 60-year-old fitness instructor in Los Angeles, poured her energy into training clients, journaling, and spending time with her three sons from a previous marriage, and sharing a home with her late husband's mother. After a few months of wading through constant sadness, Jayne's friend suggested a new distraction: An upcoming reality show for single MILFs. Jayne agreed to let her friend submit the application, and a week later she and her son were cast.

The show, called "MILF Manor," aired on TLC on January 15. On it, eight mothers in their forties and fifties, including Jayne, mingle and flirt with men half their age while sharing sleeping quarters with their sons. (MILF is an explicit acronym describing a mother whom someone would like to have sex with. The slang phrase is often meant as a compliment for moms people find attractive.)

During the first episode, it's revealed that many of these men are the MILFs' 20-something sons, making for lots of cringe-worthy and shocking conversations, as Insider's Palmer Haasch reported.

Jayne told Insider she thought the change of scenery and time with her son could help her overcome grief. She still misses her husband Dave and calls him the love of her life. But Jayne, who was married twice before Dave, said she doesn't believe in singular soulmates. And Dave would want her to find love again, she said.

"I went into it thinking there's so many possibilities I would much rather do something than not have done it and said, 'God, why didn't I do this show?' You never know what can happen," Jayne said.

Insider spoke with Jayne and two other MILFs on "MILF Manor," Charlene DeCicco and Shannan Diggs, about why they joined the show and the lessons they learned about being open-minded and dating younger men along the way.

Shannan Diggs wanted to have fun and meet new people after her divorce

Diggs, who is 51, joined "MILF Manor" a year after her divorce. A family friend who worked on the show reached out looking for potential contestants. Diggs was interested in widening her dating options after experimenting with apps and websites for singles, she said.

She said she was "shocked" to learn during the first episode that she'd picking dates from a pool of men that included her son Ryan. Before, she assumed he'd simply vet her dates, or act as a sounding board. Still, she decided to keep an open mind, which was her main goal while on the show.

The concept of dating younger didn't worry Diggs, she told Insider. She's 21 years older than her son, but she's used to men his age flirting with her while out with her friends, she said. She also dated a 27-year-old before joining the show, and sees benefits to dating younger.

She told Insider she finds 20-something men can be inquisitive, energetic, and less set in their ways than the older men she's dated. She was surprised at how vulnerable she felt she could be with the men she connected with on the show.

"If you take his age out of the equation, you can really learn a lot from a younger man," Diggs said.

For Diggs, the most awkward part of the show was having those experiences right in front her son. But the experience also brought them closer after living in different cities for years.

"It's different and actually very refreshing to be able to have conversations with your children as young adults," she said.

Charlene DeCicco wanted to honor her late daughter who signed her up for the show

DeCicco, like Jayne, joined "MILF Manor" following an experience with grief: The death of her daughter, Ashly.

Two years before Ashly passed, she told DeCicco, who is 46, about a casting call for "MILF Manor." Ashly also convinced her brother, DeCicco's son Harrison, to apply too and he did, begrudgingly, DeCicco said.

When they got a call to participate two years later, the 46-year-old mother knew she had to give it a try.

"I said to Harrison,'Listen, I really think it's a sign Ashly's with us. We've got to do this.' I really felt like my daughter was with us, so I kind of coerced him into doing it," she said.

Mainly, DeCicco joined the show for the large dating pool, she said. Before "MILF Manor," she never considered dating someone so much younger than her. "Dating someone who is 30 is taboo for me," she told Insider.

But once the show's twist was revealed to her, DeCicco said she slowly accepted the idea as she got to know the young male suitors.

"I was in shock. And then I just embraced the whole idea because I figured we were there for a reason. And I do believe life is a lesson to be learned," DeCicco told Insider.

April Jayne wanted to set a positive example for other single MILFs

According to Jayne, the show was a great way to have an adventure amidst her grief. It reminded her of her power as a 59-year-old woman who still acts and feels vibrant and sexy, she told Insider.

When women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s see Jayne on "MILF Manor," she wants to be an example of how spectacular older women are, she said.

"We're valuable, we're intelligent, we have so much to offer," Jayne, who recently turned 60, said.