'Ill intentions': Duggar parents slam docuseries that delves into their family
Former reality TV stars Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are speaking out about a new docuseries that claims to expose "the truth beneath the wholesome Americana surface of reality tv’s favorite mega-family," CNN reported.
The series, “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets,” looks at the lives and controversies surrounding the family which was the center of the former TLC reality show "19 Kids and Counting."
In a post to their website, the Duggars said that the series, which debuted Friday on Prime Video, "is sad because in it we see the media and those with ill intentions hurting people we love.”
“Like other families, ours too has experienced the joys and heartbreaks of life, just in a very public format,” the note reads. “This ‘documentary’ paints so much and so many in a derogatory and sensationalized way because sadly that’s the direction of entertainment these days.”
As CNN points out, the family adhered to strict teachings from a Christian organization called "The Institute in Basic Life Principles," which prohibited the use the birth control.
19 Kids and Counting was canceled in 2015 when allegations surfaced that eldest son, Josh Duggar, molested several of his family members when he was a teen. Although charges were never brought in regards to the allegations, Duggar was later convicted of possessing child pornography and is currently incarcerated.
“We have always believed that the best chance to repair damaged relationships, or to reconcile differences, is through love in a private setting,” the Duggars wrote. "We love every member of our family and will continue to do all we can to have a good relationship with each one. Through both the triumphs and the trials we have clung to our faith all the more and discovered that through the love and grace of Jesus, we find strength, comfort, and purpose.”