After TLC confirmed that it cancelled the show in the wake of Josh Duggar's child pornography scandal, the pair have issued a statement on behalf of the entire family.
- Jul 6, 2021
AceShowbiz - Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have broken their silence on "Counting On" cancellation. A few days after TLC confirmed that it would no longer produce more seasons of the long-running show in the wake of Josh Duggar's child pornography scandal, the pair issued a statement on Saturday, July 3 on behalf of the entire family.
"It is hard to believe that more than 17 years have passed since we were first contacted by a production company wanting to do a one-hour documentary about the logistics of raising 14 children," the statement began. "Our family has grown (and grown up!) before our eyes and on national television, and the journey has been miraculous--following God is an exciting adventure!"
They went on to say, "Over the years, some of our most treasured moments have been those when we met children across the country who are alive today because of our testimony that children are a blessing--a special gift from God--and that the only real hope for individuals and families is a close relationship with Jesus Christ."
"Since we began filming so long ago, we've had the amazing honor to share our lives, our faith, and our story with you--including some of the most difficult and painful moments our family has ever faced," the spouses continued. "We are full of deep gratitude for the love shown to us and the prayers of so many who have sustained us both now and through the years."
Concluding the statement, Jim and Michelle added, "We look forward to all the new adventures and endeavors that may come our way, and with so many grown children and wonderful grandchildren, we know our love will only continue to multiply!"
They also sent gratitude to "Counting On" crew members. "We are forever grateful for our film crew and so many others behind the scenes who have become like family to us over the years. The wonderful experiences that filming has provided us will be treasured always, and we look forward to discovering what's next for our family and sharing more with you along the way!" so they said.
The network confirmed on Tuesday, June 29 that it has no plan to work with the Duggars after the scandal. "TLC will not be producing additional seasons of 'Counting On'," the network said in a statement. "TLC feels it is important to give the Duggar family the opportunity to address their situation privately."
Earlier this year, Josh pleaded not guilty to charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. He allegedly had more than 200 images of children on his computer. He was arrested in April before being released from jail a week after.
Josh is currently awaiting his trial, which has been pushed from July 6 to November 30. The delay arrives weeks after Josh's defense team, led by attorney Justin Gelfand, filed a motion in the Western District of Arkansas Court to delay the trial until February 2022. They argued that the defense needs more time to complete the process reviewing the case evidence with the help of a computer forensics expert.
