TLC Pulls 19 Kids and Counting: Round-Up and Latest on the Josh Duggar Scandal

TLC has pulled the plug on the hit reality show ‘19 Kids and Counting’ after Josh Duggar’s admits to child molestation allegations.

TLC Cancels ’19 Kids and Counting’:

All the remaining episodes of ’19 Kids and Counting’ have been pulled off air by TLC as a child molestation scandal involving Josh Duggar came to light. TLC has not elaborated whether the cancellation is temporary or permanent and the Discovery Communications called the entire episode a ‘Heart-breaking’ situation as the show was its highest rating earner for years. The last episode of ’19 Kids and Counting’ aired on Tuesday and the remaining episodes been removed by TLC. 

This is the second molestation scandal involving a TLC reality series as ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ was previously cancelled following child molestation allegations. TLC tried to rectify the whole situation by featuring a ’19 Kids and Counting’ marathon on Thursday which mostly featured Josh but the response of the marathon was even more negative. The show first aired in 2005 as a Discovery Health special ’14 Kids and Pregnant Again’ about a devote Christian family who does not believe in birth control and has strict court ship rules. 

InTouch Revealed Details Josh Duggar Molested Minors: 

Recently press reports from InTouch came to light which stated Josh Duggar the eldest brother in the Duggar family had been under investigation for child molestation during his teen years. According to the report Josh Duggar has allegedly fondled the breasts and genitals of underage girls and some of the underage girls were his own sisters. Some reports even claim TLC knew about the child molestation charges against Josh Duggar for years and the entire episode was covered up by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. 

According to the report the molestation first started in 2002 when a girl stepped forward and claimed Josh Duggar had touched her breasts and genitals. According to a source by the name of ‘Alice’ except for the eldest Duggar daughter all the other four Duggar sisters were molested by their eldest brother. Josh would touch the girls while reading and sometimes when they were asleep. At the time of the incident the Duggar daughters at home were Jana, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna who was only 5. When the parents found out they sent Josh to a ‘Christian Program’ and after a year took him to a State Trooper called Hutchins who only gave Josh a stern talk. The trooper Captain Hutchins was later arrested on child pornography charges and is currently spending his punishment term of 56 years in prison.  

Josh Duggar Admits to Child Molestation and Apologizes on Facebook:

Following the allegations Josh Duggar issued a sort of apology on his Facebook page citing he ‘acted inexcusably’ and was ‘sorry’ for his wrong doings. According to the statement Josh Duggar now 27 regrets his actions 12 years ago and even confessed to his parents and the authorities back then. Josh’s parents arranged for him and the victims to receive therapy where they addressed the issue. Josh then stated the incident resulted in him apologizing to those he had wronged and brought him closer to Christ. Josh Duggar has since resigned from his position as the executive director of the Family Research Council after the scandal broke out. However police records recently obtained show Josh was not taken to the authorities for at least a year after he confessed and no investigation followed. 

Parents Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Support Josh:

As for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar they claimed in the very same statement when Josh was a teenager he made some bad mistakes which shocked them and it was the most difficult times of their lives. However parents further claimed the difficult time made them seek God more and each member of the family drew closer to God as a result. 

Josh’s wife Anna Duggar shows support:

Josh Duggar is currently married to Anna Duggar and has three children with her. Anna Duggar claims she knew about the molestation charges from his past and fully ‘Support’s her husband. According to Anna Duggar the counselling Josh Duggar received changed his life and he made terrible mistakes during his teens which he has done everything to rectify. Anna even revealed Josh Duggar first confessed to her about the molestation during their first meeting with her parents and she was moved by his humility. 

Mama June Threatens to Take Legal Action Against TLC:

On the other hand while Huckabee was showing his support Mama June also had a few thoughts to share on the whole scandal. Mama June the star of another TLC reality show ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ which was cancelled following child molestation allegations came forward to have her say. According to Mama June she heard about the statement Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar released which stated even though the molestation occurred the event brought the Duggar’s closer to God and each other, so in a way its ok for the Duggar’s to have some ‘Touch Time’? Hell no was the word Mama June described it as. Mama June then even revealed she will take legal action against TLC for having cancelled her show ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ after molestation  reports if TLC doesn’t cancel ’19 Kids and Counting’.    

Presidential Candidate Huckabee Comes Under Fire for Supporting the Duggar Family:

In another surprising turn of event the GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee issued a statement on Facebook giving support to the entire Duggar clan. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar had recently endorsed Huckabee in his White House bid. According to Huckabee while others run from the Duggar’s he and his wife Janet will run towards them with support. Huckabee shared even though the actions committed by Mike Huckabee were ‘inexcusable’ they are not ‘unforgiveable’ and good people make ‘disgusting’ mistakes. The response to the Facebook post has been overwhelmingly negative with some people criticizing Huckabee for supporting a child molester while others telling him to say goodbye to his presidential race.  The once loyal Republican supporters have told Huckabee he has already lost their votes. 

Oprah Winfrey Cancelled Duggar Family Appearance over Molestation Tip: 

It seems justice was finally served by Oprah who was the first one to address the child molestation issue in the right light. The first tip off about the child molestation was received on the Oprah Winfrey show back in 2006. Oprah promptly cancelled the scheduled special appearance by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar on her talk show. An email was received by Oprah’s office which claimed Josh Duggar had molested young girls including his own sisters and his parent shad covered the whole thing up. Oprah promptly sent the email to a child abuse hotline and a Police officer called Michelle Duggar to bring Josh Duggar in for questioning back in Arkansas. As the family received the call Oprah’s team cancelled the taping and the family was packed back home but the reason for the cancellation was not revealed until recently. 

The internet had been abuzz about the rumors surrounding Josh Duggar since 2006 but it was until /4/22nd 2015 that an official report of Josh’s molestation misconduct report was gained by In Touch through a special FOIA from the Springdale Police department.