TV network TLC has taken "19 Kids and Counting" off the air. The show has not been officially cancelled at this time, but the Duggar family's reality series has been removed from the network's May lineup. The move came one day after Josh Duggar, the eldest son of Jim Bob and Michelle, admitted that he molested young girls when he was a teenager.
Right now, the show's future hangs in the balance as TLC is reportedly considering either one of three options: cancel the show; continue the show as is; or continue the show without Josh in it. As "19 Kids and Counting" is the longest running — and one of the highest rating — shows on the network, producers are trying to find a solution that would make everyone happy and, according to TMZ, the network may choose to fire Josh to keep the show airing.
The website reports that TLC believes that the series won't suffer a dip in ratings if it were to continue without Josh, as their research suggests that the show's popularity stems from his sisters, namely Jessa and Jill.
Jill recently chronicled her pregnancy and the birth of her first child during the recently concluded season of the show, while Jessa's storyline revolved around her marriage to Ben Seewald and they announced her pregnancy before the season ended. Moreover, Jessa's and Jill's strong social media presence also contributed to their fame. Both are very active on Instagram, and Jessa has gained 1.5 million followers, while Jill has 1.4 million followers.
The report goes on to add that Josh's absence from the show won't be missed as he currently lives in Washington D.C. with his wife Anna and their three children. The reason that the network is reportedly not considering outright cancellation is because doing so would mean a considerable loss of advertisers.
Still, some advertisers might be reluctant to continue to sponsor "19 Kids and Counting" following the scandal, with cereal company General Mills already withdrawing its sponsorship from the show.
