Cable Show ’19 Kids and Counting’ Canceled After Sex Abuse Allegations Against Josh Duggar

16 Jul, 2015 by Warner Todd Huston

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Well, the other shoe has finally dropped for the family cable reality show “19 Kids and Counting” as cable channel TLC has formally canceled the show over allegations that one of its stars, Josh Duggar, sexually abused some of his sisters when he and they were teenagers.

The show, which debuted in 2008, followed the ever growing Duggar family and was one of the cable network’s most popular shows. But in recent months it was revealed that one of the Duggar children, Josh, now 27-years-old, had been accused of sexually molesting some of his own sisters when he was 14.

The cable network pulled many of the episodes that featured Josh at first. Then later pulled the whole show from the air. Now, at long last, the show has been canceled.

The basic cable network cancelled “19 Kids and Counting” amid the fallout of eldest son Josh Duggar’s molestation scandal, but said it will continue to work with the Christian clan for a documentary about child sex abuse.

“After thoughtful consideration, TLC and the Duggar family have decided to not move forward with 19 Kids and Counting. The show will no longer appear on the air,” the network said in a statement.

“TLC will work closely with [two abuse advocacy groups] and with the Duggar family on a one-hour documentary that will include Jill and Jessa and other survivors and families that have been affected by abuse,” the network said.

Writing on her blog after the news broke, the Baptist brood’s matriarch, Michelle Duggar, thanked the show’s fans as well as the film crew members for the time they spent documenting the family’s lives over ten seasons.

With God’s grace and help Josh, 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,” she said.

“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.”

This should surprise no one.