TLC May Drop Josh Duggar From ’19 Kids and Counting’ After Molestation Scandal
Last week, a police report was made public that alleged Josh Duggar had sexually abused five underage girls, four of them family members, when he was 14 years old.
Since the news broke, the 27-year-old married father-of-three has resigned from his position at the Family Research Council and cancelled public appearances, according to E! News. His wife Anna Duggar, 26, pregnant with their fourth child, has remained supportive since he told her about the past indiscretions when they started dating.
The biggest question is whether or not TLC will cut the father-of-three from the "19 Kids and Counting" cast. TLC stopped airing the show on May 22 due to the child molestation allegations. TMZ reports that the network is considering cutting the eldest Duggar son from the TV series.
"19 Kids and Counting" could be canceled outright -- especially if more advertisers pull out, as General Mills already has. The reality show is a hit, so TLC will likely look for a way to handle the scandal and Josh's absence from the series on air.
Josh has received support from ESPN personality Tony Kornheiser, as well as Mike Huckabee, the former Gov. of Arkansas, who took to Facebook on Friday to defend his friend and show his support for the Duggar family.
Three days after Josh apologized for inappropriate behavior with several underage girls as a teenager, his sister Jessa's father-in-law, Michael Seewald, posted an essay titled "Grace Greater Than Our Sin" to his family's blog on Sunday, explaining why he forgives Josh for his past actions.
"It pains me to see that they are now having to relive the nightmare that had been laid to rest well over a decade ago with Josh's repentance and reformation," Seewald wrote, "but I feel compelled to bring some context and reason to the bloodletting that many are engaging in and to come to the aid of our dear friends and family."
Seewald stated in his essay that Josh should not "punish himself forever" and that the victims involved should "not be lost in all of this."
"The ultimate answer... is what Josh found and millions like him. He found forgiveness and cleansing from Jesus Christ. There are many of you that are reading these words right now having had thoughts and deeds no better than what Josh had and did," Seewald wrote.
Last week, Josh responded to the molestation claims in a statement on his family's Facebook page. "Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends," he wrote. "I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life."
Do you believe Josh should be cut from "19 Kids and Counting"? Do you think his life now should be affected by something he did as a teenager? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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