Cable television channel TLC is canceling its reality show “19 Kids and Counting” after the disclosure of child molestation within the Duggar family at the heart of the series, the network said on Thursday.
Since the molestation revelations surfaced, child protection advocates have charged that the conservative Christian parents who star on TLC’s top-rated show have downplayed their son Josh’s abuse of four of his sisters, including a girl who was under 10 at the time.
TLC, owned by Discovery Communications, pulled all previously aired episodes of the series in May, and at least a dozen advertisers dropped the program. But the future of the show remained in question until Thursday.
“After thoughtful consideration, TLC and the Duggar family have decided to not move forward with ’19 Kids and Counting,'” the network said in a statement. “The show will no longer appear on the air. The recent attention around the Duggars has sparked a critical and important conversation about child protection.”
Two daughters in the show said publicly last month that they had forgiven their brother for molesting them in the past.
Josh Duggar released a statement in May apologizing for acting “inexcusably” 12 years ago. He also resigned from his job at the conservative Christian activist group Family Research Council.
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