TLC axes scandal-hit 19 Kids

US cablenet TLC has axed reality series 19 Kids and Counting following allegations that one of its stars abused young girls 12 years ago.

19 Kids and Counting: ‘difficult and painful experience’

Discovery’s female-skewing lifestyle channel halted remaining episodes of the show in May and the network has now confirmed it will not be ordering further seasons.

“TLC and the Duggar family have decided to not move forward with 19 Kids and Counting. The show will no longer appear on the air,” TLC said in a statement.

The US net is, however, partnering with advocacy groups on a one-off doc to air later this year that will tackle the issue of child molestation.

Marjorie Kaplan, who oversees TLC, said: “The goal is to take what has been a difficult and painful experience and focus that attention on the really critical issue of child protection and child sexual abuse.”

Several petitions had called for the cancellation of the series about the devout Duggar clan, which comprises parents Michelle and Jim Bob and their nine daughters and 10 sons.

The cancellation comes after a police report was published outlining allegations that Josh Duggar, now 27, molested underage girls when he was 14 and 15 years old. The claims were reported to police when he was 18.

It is the second time TLC has axed a show amid controversy. Fellow reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, about a child beauty pageant and her family, was cancelled in October following allegations that the star’s mother was dating a convicted child molester.