Counting On CANCELED after Josh Duggar’s child porn arrest because network feels there is ‘no way forward’ from scandal
TLC reality show Counting On has been canceled after almost six years following Josh Duggar’s arrest on child pornography charges, The Sun can exclusively reveal.
The show about Jim Bob Duggar, his wife Michelle and their many children is a spin-off of 19 Kids & Counting, which was axed in 2015 after Josh was accused of molesting five minor females.
The shocking news comes after fans launched a petition to boycott Counting On – as horrifying details of Josh’s child pornography arrest emerged.
An insider told The Sun exclusively: “The decision was made by TLC earlier this week to cancel the show.
“The family was told over the phone shortly after and it’s still very hush hush.
“The petition from those who boycotted Counting On was hard to ignore, and sponsors were very concerned following Josh’s arrest.
“There have been a lot of discussions in recent weeks as the network had already spent money on production after months of filming.
“But the bottom line is, the network really wants to be on the right side of this scandal ahead of Josh’s trial. It was important for bosses to be seen to have taken action.
“The case has put the show in such a bad light, and although it’s a shame for those who worked hard on it, and the money spent, there really is no way forward.”
Counting On’s last season ended in September 2020, and fans have been left wondering if there will be a new season this year.
The Sun has reached out to TLC for comment, but did not receive a reply.
Josh does not appear on the show, after earlier admitting to molesting his sisters as a teen, but many of the family have stood by him since his recent arrest, including pregnant wife Anna.
He pleaded not guilty after being charged with two counts of receiving and possessing child porn.
Josh was taken into custody on federal charges on April 29 following a 2019 Homeland Security raid on his now-shuttered used car dealership, The Sun first reported.
His father Jim Bob is believed to be paying his lawyers, as Josh has been out of work for months. He also arranged for a third party custodian to take him in when he was let out on bail.
More than 28,000 people have now signed the appeal on Change.org to pull the plug on the show.
A description on the page reads: “The Duggar family should no longer have a platform.
“Josh Duggar molested his sisters and as of April 29, 2021 he has been arrested (by federal authorities) for child pornography.
“This family should no longer be allowed to collect money from streaming services and television series. Enough is enough. Too many people have been harmed.”
Former viewers have also taken to Twitter to slam the show and call for the family to be dropped.
One wrote: “@TLC Again, please make a more definitive statement on #joshduggar. The show #CountingOn is providing his parents with the money for his legal defense. Cancel the show. Make the right decision.”
A second tweeted: “Why are they still on @TLC? This family hid molestation in their ranks & put their daughters’ emotional health behind the almighty dollar. It’s time to #DumpTheDuggars? Let’s get this trending!”
The network released a statement after Josh’s arrest, but many felt it wasn’t enough, as they said: “TLC is saddened to learn about the continued troubles involving Josh Duggar.
“19 Kids and Counting has not aired since 2015. TLC cancelled the show on the heels of prior allegations against Josh Duggar and he has not appeared on-air since then.”
Josh has been slammed by US attorneys for begging an Arkansas judge to “delay” his trial for child porn charges so his team can “investigate his computers.”
The 19 Kids and Counting alum requested the court postpone his trial date “in or after February 2022.”
Court papers obtained by The Sun reveal the United States “does not oppose a reasonable continuance of approximately three months to allow a defense hired expert to review the digital evidence in this case and provide a subsequent opinion.”
However, they called his requested continuance until February of 2022 an “unnecessary delay.”
The Sun exclusively revealed on Tuesday that his jury trial has been postponed until November.
According to the original indictment, Josh “knowingly received child pornography” between or about May 14, 2019 and on or about May 16, 2019.
For the second count, Josh “knowingly possessed material that contained images of child pornography,” including “images of minors under the age of 12.”
If convicted, he could receive 20 years in prison with fines up to $250,000 for each count.
Josh pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment and was released a week after the arrest.
Special Agent Gerald Faulkner from Homeland Security was the first to take the stand at the bond hearing, as he was questioned by the prosecutor.
He said: “In May of 2019, [an Arkansas police officer] identified a computer participating in the known sharing of photos and videos of child pornography.”
He claimed Josh had one two-minute video on his computer of two underage females and a male who performed sexual acts on the children.
Also found were 65 images of an underage female “consistent with child pornography.” The victims were aged between 5 and 10.
Most read in Entertainment
It was also alleged Josh accessed the dark web in order to get a hold of the images.
The former 19 Kids and Counting star is currently on home confinement until his trial and is living with third party custodians LaCount and Maria Reber, who are longtime friends of Jim Bob and Michelle.
Josh is residing in a massive mansion in Elkins, Arkansas with the Reber family.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673).