'Bringing Up Bates' Canceled Just Weeks Before New Season's Planned Premiere
Bringing Up Bates, another reality series focusing on a large family, will not be returning for its 11th season as planned. New episodes were scheduled to air in February, but UPtv announced plans to drop the show as it changes its programming to include more scripted content. Bringing Up Bates debuted in January 2015 and finished its 10th season in June 2021.
"We will not be premiering Bringing Up Bates season 11 on UPtv as planned as we will be focusing our programming in 2022 on movies and a new scripted series to be announced soon," a UPtv representative said in a statement to Us Weekly. "When we premiered Bringing Up Bates, the series was focused on parents with 19 kids who were teenagers and young children. The cameras were there to capture the love, laughs, and big life moments, as the family continued to grow. Thank you to Gil and Kelly Jo Bates for welcoming viewers into your family's home over the past ten seasons." The network also thanked fans for watching the show.
The Bates family also issued a statement, noting that "God's timing is always perfect" and they are excited to see what the future holds for their family and UPtv. "The last ten seasons of filming with Bringing Up Bates have been an amazing journey for our family. We never expected or aspired to be on TV, but we are forever grateful to UP for all of the friendships we have formed as a result," the family's statement read. "Filming and opening up our home has been both rewarding and challenging, but there are not enough words we could say to show appreciation for the amazing film crew and all of the staff who have invested so much time into making this show possible. They have become family and have impacted us forever. We are also grateful for all of the encouragement we have received over the years from those who have watched the show and have reached out to message us or pray for us."
The family said they were "thankful to God" for the experiences they have shared and the lessons they learned. They are "very blessed" to have their memories caught on camera. They also said they plan to continue keeping fans up to date on their lives, although it is not clear if they plan to pursue a new home for their show. "Our greatest desire is that we would each strive to learn more about God and to grow in His grace," the family's statement read.
Gil and Kelly Jo Bates first gained national attention on the 2012 TLC show United Bates of America. After that show was canceled, the couple moved to UPtv in 2015. The couple has 19 children, ranging from 32-year-old Zach to 9-year-old Jeb. Bringing Up Bates ended with Katie Bates, 21, and Travis Clark getting engaged before their wedding in December 2021.
The Bates family is also close friends with the Duggars. TLC canceled their second show, Counting On, last year after Josh Duggar's arrest on two charges related to possession of child pornography. Duggar was convicted in December and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge. He is now awaiting sentencing.
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