‘Counting On’ Canceled Amid Josh Duggar Child Pornography Scandal

TLC has canceled Counting On, the reality show about the Duggar family, after 11 seasons. This decision comes as Josh Duggar, a brother of the main siblings featured on Counting On, has been charged with possession of child pornography. While no official reason was given by TLC, they alluded to Josh’s situation in a statement. As PEOPLE reports, the network issued a statement saying, “TLC will not be producing additional seasons of Counting On. TLC feels it is important to give the Duggar family the opportunity to address their situation privately.”

Counting On mainly followed the lives of Duggar sisters, Jana, Jinger, Jessa, Jill and Joy-Anna. However, it also featured numerous other members of the Duggar family. Brothers Joe and Josiah, parents Jim Bob and Michelle and grandmother Mary (now deceased) all popped up regularly. Josh did not appear on the show, but his wife Anna and their children had made guest appearances.

The show was a spinoff of 19 Kids and Counting, the Duggars’ original reality show that featured Josh as a main fixture. Media reports in 2015 unearthed a 2006 police report that alleged that Josh, then a teenager, molested five underage girls, including multiple family members. Sisters Jill and Jessa confirmed in the years since that they were two of the victims. TLC canceled 19 Kids and Counting as a result of the scandal.

Scandals continued for Josh after the molestation revelation. He was one of the clients of Ashley Madison, a website used to set up extramarital affairs, whose identity was leaked in the 2015 data breach. Josh, who was married to Anna at the time, admitted to using the service and also revealed he had a pornography addiction.

In April 2021, Josh was arrested for allegedly receiving and possessing child pornography, with prosecutors claiming for than 200 explicit images were discovered on his computer. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is awaiting trial.

Aside from Josh’s troubles, main cast members of Counting On (originally titled Jill and Jessa: Counting On) have drawn their fair share of backlash over the years. The family’s religious beliefs and “courting” system have often drawn public scrutiny. Jill Duggar‘s husband, Derick Dillard, once drew ire for his disparaging remarks about fellow TLC personality Jazz Jennings, who is transgender. TLC parted ways with Derick as a result, with Jill later saying her family as a whole decided to “step away” from Counting On.