TLC has officially cancelled 19 Kids and Counting, the hit reality show chronicling the lives of the Duggar family, following revelations that Josh Duggar molested five children. The network stated that the show “will no longer appear on the air”, noting that recent attention around the Duggars has sparked a critical and important conversation about child protection.
The show had been in limbo since May, when reports surfaced of molestations that occurred a dozen years earlier. Josh Duggar, now 27, admitted to molesting five children, including four of his sisters, when he was a teenager. The programme had aired for 10 seasons, following the home life of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their now-19 children.
In a statement, the Duggar family appeared to have moved on from the ordeal, describing it as a “painful situation” that they had overcome. “Our daughters and our entire family overcame a terrible situation, found healing and a way forward. We are so pleased with the wonderful adults they have all become,” they said.
TLC announced it is working with two prominent child-protection organisations for an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about child sexual abuse. The initiative will begin with a one-hour, commercial-free documentary, likely airing in late August. The network said it has been especially concerned for the victims, including the Duggar family, and is working with Jill and Jessa Duggar, as well as other survivors and families affected by abuse.
