19 Kids And Counting has reportedly been pulled from TLC’s lineup following the news that eldest Duggar son Joshua molested several underage girls as a teen, some of whom may have been his own sisters. Now, several advertisers have pulled their support of the show, which could mean the end for the Duggar family in the world of reality television.
Choice Hotels, Payless, Walgreens, and General Mills have all reportedly yanked their sponsorship in the wake of the news and won’t be airing ads during the show’s time slot should it come back to the network. This could mean big trouble for TLC, as the program was a big draw with fans. Millions have tuned in over the past several months to see the weddings of two of the Duggar girls as well as Jill Duggar’s first birth, and many of the Duggar children have active and heavily-trafficked social media accounts that bring fans to the channel.
Josh Duggar has resigned from his position with the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. and issued a statement once the news broke, saying, “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.”
The Duggars reportedly got the police involved in the incidents, but charges were never filed against Josh. TLC has issued a statement as well, but have not definitively pulled the plug on the show.
“Effective immediately, TLC has pulled all episodes of 19 Kids and Counting currently from the air. We are deeply saddened and troubled by this heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and victims at this difficult time.”