Jana Duggar/Instagram
In 2008, TLC introduced audiences to the lives ofJim BobandMichelle Duggarand their 19 children on the reality series19 Kids and Counting. The show followed the conservative Arkansas family, theirrigid religious beliefsandJosh Duggar’s wedding to wifeAnna Duggar.
The upcoming Prime Video docuseries,Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, willexplore the family’s dark historyand ties to the radical religious organization —Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).
Here’s everything to know about the Duggar clan and their controversies ahead of the series premiere on June 2.
01of 09
Growing a family
The Duggar Family/Instagram
James Robert “Jim Bob” Duggar and Michelle (née Ruark) married on July 21, 1984, just weeks after Michelle’s high school graduation.
Throughout their marriage, theywelcomed 19 children— all with names beginning with the letter “J” nearly every year from 1988 through 2009. The Duggar brood consists of Josh, Jana, John-David, Jill, Jessa,Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace and Josie.
02of 09Josie’s own ups and downsDuggar Family Offical/FacebookJim Bob and Michelle’s youngest child, Josie,arrived nearly three months earlyon Dec. 10, 2009. She survived several health setbacks,including a series of seizuresat age 5.On her 9th birthday, the family reflected on her health, sharing that Josie “is a healthy, happy 9-year-old that is full of energy.”
02of 09
Josie’s own ups and downs
Duggar Family Offical/Facebook
Jim Bob and Michelle’s youngest child, Josie,arrived nearly three months earlyon Dec. 10, 2009. She survived several health setbacks,including a series of seizuresat age 5.
On her 9th birthday, the family reflected on her health, sharing that Josie “is a healthy, happy 9-year-old that is full of energy.”
03of 09
Seeing their family grow
Jeremiah Duggar/Instagram
Josh hasseven kids;Jill,JosephandJoy-Annaeach have three;John DavidandJingereach have two;Jessa has fourandJosiah has one.
04of 09
A shocking scandal
Josh and Anna Duggar.Anna Duggar/Instagram
On May 21, 2015,In Touch Weeklyreleased a 2006 police report that revealed Josh was investigated as a teen for molesting five underage girls — four of which turned out to be his sisters. TLC canceled the family’s show, and Joshissued an exclusive statementto PEOPLE in 2015 in response to the reports.
“I have beenthe biggest hypocrite ever,” the eldest Duggar kid wrote. “While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife.”
He continued, “I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him.”
“It isn’t easy, and some days are very difficult. It is a long road to rebuild trust and a truly healthy relationship,” the couple said in a joint statement in 2016.
05of 09A bond brokenjill duggar/instagram; youtubeAfter the disturbing revelations of 2015, Josh’s sisters Jill and Jessacame forward as two of his victims.In a 2015 interview onThe Kelly FilewithMegyn Kelly, Jill and Jessa said the family had longmoved past the situationand hadn’t ever planned to address it until they found out the allegations would be on a magazine cover.“I see it as a re-victimization that’s a thousand times worse because this is something that was already dealt with,” said Jill of the release of the felony investigation. “We’ve already forgiven Josh. We’ve already moved on.““We didn’t feel like there was any need to share private information with people who weren’t part of the problem or the solution,” Jill added. “We had dealt with that when the investigation with our family was closed. After all those months, they said, your parents have done an amazing job — they were praising our parents — and found [our] home was a safe place for children.”
05of 09
A bond broken
jill duggar/instagram; youtube
After the disturbing revelations of 2015, Josh’s sisters Jill and Jessacame forward as two of his victims.
In a 2015 interview onThe Kelly FilewithMegyn Kelly, Jill and Jessa said the family had longmoved past the situationand hadn’t ever planned to address it until they found out the allegations would be on a magazine cover.
“I see it as a re-victimization that’s a thousand times worse because this is something that was already dealt with,” said Jill of the release of the felony investigation. “We’ve already forgiven Josh. We’ve already moved on.”
“We didn’t feel like there was any need to share private information with people who weren’t part of the problem or the solution,” Jill added. “We had dealt with that when the investigation with our family was closed. After all those months, they said, your parents have done an amazing job — they were praising our parents — and found [our] home was a safe place for children.”
06of 09Taking time apartCourtesy Jill DillardIn 2020, Jill and her husband,Derick Dillard, told PEOPLE they had beendistancing themselves from the Duggar familyafter leaving their spinoff show,Counting On.“Our control to choose what jobs we were allowed to accept and even where we were allowed to live was taken away from us,” Jill said, adding that goals they’d had as a couple were squashed if they conflicted with the network or family’s plans.Dillard, who was then in his final year of law school, elaborated, “The first few years of our marriage, we spent time and money working towards opportunities only to hit a dead end when we’d be told, ‘Well, you’re not allowed to do that.'” The COVID-19 pandemic also influenced their decision totake time for themselves.“Our threshold — we like to call it — is a little bit lower in this season of life for us,” Jill said in 2021 in aQ&A video on YouTube. She and her husband and two sons have “a lot going on for [them] in [their] own lives.“Of the couple’s choice not to set foot in the Duggar family home for several years, Dillard said, “There’s a lot of triggers there.”
06of 09
Taking time apart
Courtesy Jill Dillard
In 2020, Jill and her husband,Derick Dillard, told PEOPLE they had beendistancing themselves from the Duggar familyafter leaving their spinoff show,Counting On.
“Our control to choose what jobs we were allowed to accept and even where we were allowed to live was taken away from us,” Jill said, adding that goals they’d had as a couple were squashed if they conflicted with the network or family’s plans.
Dillard, who was then in his final year of law school, elaborated, “The first few years of our marriage, we spent time and money working towards opportunities only to hit a dead end when we’d be told, ‘Well, you’re not allowed to do that.'” The COVID-19 pandemic also influenced their decision totake time for themselves.
“Our threshold — we like to call it — is a little bit lower in this season of life for us,” Jill said in 2021 in aQ&A video on YouTube. She and her husband and two sons have “a lot going on for [them] in [their] own lives.”
Of the couple’s choice not to set foot in the Duggar family home for several years, Dillard said, “There’s a lot of triggers there.”
07of 09Josh gets arrestedJosh Duggar.courtesy Washington county arkansasOn April 29, 2021, U.S. Marshalsarrested Josh and charged himwith receiving and possessing child pornography, “some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, all in May 2019,” according to apress releasefrom the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arkansas.He pleaded not guilty and faced up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 on each possession count.Just days before his arrest, Josh and Anna had announced they wereexpecting their seventh childtogether.
07of 09
Josh gets arrested
Josh Duggar.courtesy Washington county arkansas
On April 29, 2021, U.S. Marshalsarrested Josh and charged himwith receiving and possessing child pornography, “some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, all in May 2019,” according to apress releasefrom the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arkansas.
He pleaded not guilty and faced up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 on each possession count.
Just days before his arrest, Josh and Anna had announced they wereexpecting their seventh childtogether.
08of 09
Josh is sentenced
Josh Duggar.PageSix.com
Before the sentencing, Michelle penned a letter to the judge, stating, “Joshua has a tender heart, and he is compassionate toward others.” His wife Anna did the same and said her husband was a “loving, supportive and caring father.”
Michelle and Anna’s support prompted cousinAmy (Duggar) Kingto share her thoughts onTwitter.
After posting on social media, Amy issued an exclusive statement to PEOPLE opposing Michelle and Anna’s actions.
“I don’t think anyone would make the mistake of assuming I support my cousin,” she wrote. “I’m struggling to even find the words to express how angry I am.I’m angry at my cousin. I am deeply disappointed in him as a person. But let me tell you, I am furious at the family that looked the other way and, still today, refuse to hold him accountable.”
She concluded her statement urging Anna to divorce Josh, writing, “In my opinion, 20 years could never come close to justice for the children harmed … My heart hurts for his children during this time.”
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The Duggar family exposed in docuseries
The upcoming Prime Video docuseries,Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets,will explore the Duggar family’s scandals and ties to the religious organization Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and itsfounder Bill Gothard.
In PEOPLE’sexclusive first look at the trailer, former IBLP members tease a discussion of the church’s principles of homeschooling, patriarchy and misogyny, along with the Duggars’ role in promoting its fundamentalist views.
“Josh Duggar is really thetip of the iceberg in this group,” one of the series’ executive producers,Olivia Crist, exclusively told PEOPLE in May 2023.
“The IBLP teachings aren’t Christianity,” a woman in the trailer explains. “They’re something entirely different.”
The trailer also reveals cousin Amy, Jill and husband Dillard’s involvement on the series. As a teary-eyed Jill sits beside her husband, holding his hand, she says, “There’s a story that’s going to be told, and I would rather be the one telling it.”
“Even though we show a dark side of a shiny veneer, we hope that there’s also light at the end of the tunnel in terms of having a place to land gracefully if people decide to step out and are still in any shape and form of abuse out there,” Nason said.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secretspremieres June 2 on Prime Video.
source: people.com
