TLC Cancels ’19 Kids and Counting’ After Josh Duggar Molestation Confession
If this is your first week learning of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting or its star Josh Duggar, you are not off to a great start. Previously troubled by Honey Boo-Boo, the network has officially pulled the reality series from its lineup, following Duggar’s admission of incestuous molestation near of a decade ago.
Son to Jim Bob and Michelle, Josh Duggar had earlier this week admitted to molesting several underage girls 12 years ago, among them his own sisters. The family had apparently taken Josh in for confession and counseling back in 2006, without charge, though word of his misdeeds didn’t formally reach the press until Thursday.
Said Duggar, now married with three children, in his recent statement:
Twelve years ago, as a young teenager I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling.
I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life. I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life. I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions. In my life today, I am so very thankful for God’s grace, mercy and redemption.
The network had garnered some unsurprising outrage in airing a 19 Kids and Counting marathon after the scandal had broken, though the network has since pulled a May 27 planned airing indefinitely.
TLC has yet to comment on the matter, though it seems likely the network will follow a similar pattern of evasiveness as with the Honey Boo-Boo scandal, in which June “Mama June” Shannon was purported to have resumed a relationship with a man convicted of child molestation. We’ll see what happens as the latest story develops.