Amy Duggar Says '19 Kids and Counting' Ended in Multiple 'Scandals' After Josh Duggar's Child Pornography Conviction

Amy Duggar is getting honest about growing up as a cousin to the TLC-famous Duggar brood, noting Josh Duggar’s 2022 conviction on child pornography charges abruptly ended the family’s TV empire.

"I feel like because the people that watch 19 Kids and Counting, one minute, we were on TV and everything was great, and next minute scandal, scandal, scandal, scandal. And it was just gone," Amy, 39, told a news outlet in an interview published on Wednesday, October 1.

The show 16 Kids and Counting premiered in 2008, following parents Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar as they raised their children under strict conservative rules in Arkansas. As the family grew, the title changed to 17 Kids and Counting, then 18 Kids and Counting and eventually 19 Kids and Counting.

The show ran for 10 seasons until it was canceled in 2015 after reports surfaced that the eldest son, Josh, 37, had molested several girls, including some of his sisters. Later that year, the married star faced an Ashley Madison cheating scandal and was convicted of child pornography charges.

"I felt [the show] left with a lot of questions. They grew up with this family, and yet there's no closure," Amy explained as she promoted her new memoir, Holy Disruptor: Shattering the Shiny Facade While Getting Louder With the Truth, set to hit bookshelves on October 14. "So, I hope this book brings closure as to why things kind of went the way they went for me. I hope it does connect the dots for those that did watch the show. And, I hope also that it feels like a hug for those that have experienced abuse in their lives."

Prosecutors originally asked for a 20-year sentence due to Josh's “prior sexual exploitation of multiple minors” and “the extraordinary efforts Duggar took to obtain and view child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), the nature of the CSAM he obtained and viewed and his efforts to conceal his criminal conduct,” but he was ultimately sentenced to 151 months after being found guilty of one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.

Josh maintains his innocence and has attempted to appeal his sentence. The disgraced reality TV star was originally scheduled to be released on August 12, 2032, however, his sentence was extended into October after he was allegedly discovered with a cell phone.