Within one week after the scandal broke out about Josh Duggar's troubled past, more than a dozen sponsors have already decided to abandon his family's "19 Kids and Counting" reality show produced by TLC. The advertisers announced via their social media accounts their stand regarding the child molestation scandal that involves the eldest in the huge Duggar brood.
Walgreens made their statement in the company's official Facebook page, saying: "In the wake of recent news, we are no longer advertising on the '19 Kids and Counting' program."
Pure Leaf Iced Tea also posted a message in Twitter, saying: "Thank you for contacting us to share your concerns. Please know that we will no longer be advertising on '19 Kids and Counting.'"
Other brands that have already announced their discontinued support for the long-running family-oriented reality show include Ace Hardware, Party City, ConAgra foods, BEHR Paint, Ricola, Firehouse Subs, Sherwin-Williams paint, Pizza Hut, General Mills, Allstate Insurance, Crayola, Payless ShoeSource, King's Hawaiian, as well as Choice Hotels.
The move from sponsors was prompted by a leaked police report that exposed Josh's 2002 case wherein five minor females complained of sexual abuse against him when he was just 14-years-old. After the exposé surfaced, the now-27-year-old reality TV star apologized to the public regarding his past mistakes.
"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," the eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar wrote in the family's Facebook page.
Major brands decided to remove their ads from future episodes of the show in case the network decides to continue airing the reality series since, at this point, TLC has yet to announce its fate. But while the network is still silent about the future of the show, there are reports claiming that Josh will either be fired from the series or a spin-off series that will focus on the married life of his sisters, Jill and Jessa, will replace the mother series in case the network orders its cancellation.
