Josh Duggar may be removed from 19 Kids and Counting, as TLC works to pick up the pieces following news of Josh’s sexual molestations–some targeting his own sisters–hit the media last week. Can 19 Kids and Counting survive sans Josh Duggar?
Of course it can. TLC already knows that two of Josh Duggar’s sisters–Jill Duggar Dillard and Jessa Duggar Seewald–are presently the biggest draws to the show. Jill’s wedding to Derick Dillard and the birth of their baby, Israel David Dillard and Jessa’s wedding to Ben Seewald and her pregnancy are drawing in fans more than any other story lines in the show’s history. Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar–along with sisters Jana and Jinger Duggar–may have been among Josh Duggar’s victims.
There is still a very strong chance that TLC will completely cancel 19 Kids and Counting. Advertisers may not want to be associated with a program about a family that covered up sexual molestations. Josh Duggar didn’t get clinical counseling or treatment deemed acceptable by most modern standards. Instead many prayers were said and he did manual labor to atone for his sins. General Mills has already pulled its advertising in light of Josh Duggar’s actions.
TLC considers dropping Josh Duggar from "19 Kids and Counting" after child molestation scandal http://t.co/iagNlogZoY pic.twitter.com/tM4DpVcQaL
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 25, 2015
E! News reports that Josh Duggar has cancelled speaking engagement for this week in Sandusky, Ohio at a Christian homeschooling conference. He and wife Anna Duggar have closed down their website. And Josh Duggar has resigned from his position with the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. where he lives with his wife and three children. Anna Duggar is expecting the couple’s fourth child.
Josh and Anna Duggar shut down website amid molestation reports http://t.co/cIWAu3FbLt
— TIME.com (@TIME) May 24, 2015
Do you expect TLC will opt to simply air 19 Kids and Counting without Josh Duggar or will they wind up canceling the show for good?
How will the remainder of the Duggar family fare if their lucrative reality show ends?