One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
'19 Kids And Counting' Could Get A Spinoff
Jill Dillard with wife and husband Jessa and Ben Seewald (Instagram)
Thought the Duggars' TV career was over? Not so fast. A source close to the family says that they're in talks with TLC to create a spinoff of the show that doesn't include Josh Duggar, who recently admitted to molesting five girls.
The show "19 Kids And Counting" hasn't been officially canceled but it is on thin ice with TLC (and even Hulu) pulling all episodes from its rotation. Sponsors who don't want to be associated with a family molestation and coverup scandal have also been pulling out.
Instead of focusing on Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the spinoff would focus on newlyweds Jill and Derick Dillard, and Jessa and Ben Seewald. A source told People: "The show had begun to focus more and more on the next generation of Duggars, anyway - mainly Jill and Jessa and their marriages and babies. That's when the show got its highest ratings."
A source told Us Weekly, "They've invested a lot of time in developing these story lines and the last thing they want to do is to throw it all away."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
