TLC has officially canceled the popular “19 Kids & Counting” reality show following the controversy surrounding the revelation that Josh Duggar molested four of his sisters and a babysitter as a teen.
“After thoughtful consideration, TLC and the Duggar family have decided to not move forward with ‘19 Kids and Counting,’” the
network said in a statement Thursday, according to The Huffington Post. “The show will no longer appear on the air.”
The television station first pulled all episodes of TLC’s most-watched show from its schedule in May.
According to The Associated Press, the program was averaging 3.2 million viewers.
“We spent the past month and a half in thoughtful consideration about what is the best way forward here,” Marjorie Kaplan, group president of TLC, Animal Planet, and Velocity networks, told the AP.
The network also announced a long-term partnership with two child-protections organizations, Darkness to Light and Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, to raise awareness of child sexual abuse.
“We took it as an opportunity to step further than just ‘How do we protect ourselves?’ and step into ‘How do we protect our audience and protect children?’” Kaplan said. “The goal is to take what has been a difficult and painful experience, and focus that attention on the really critical issue of child protection and child sexual abuse.”
The initiative will begin with a one-hour documentary likely to air in late August. Jill and Jessa Duggar, both of whom had been fondled by brother Josh, will participate in it.
“We look forward to working with TLC on this upcoming special documentary and hope that it is an encouragement to many,” the Duggar family said in a statement Thursday. “It is our prayer that the painful situation our family went through many years ago can point people toward faith in God and help others who also have lived through similar dark situations to find help, hope and healing, as well.”
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