In the wake of the Josh Duggar sex scandals, the Duggar family’s reality show, 19 Kids and Counting, was canceled by TLC amidst protests and a rapid loss in advertising revenue, due to sponsors cutting ties with the series.
Many fans were stunned when the Duggars were given a second shot at television stardom with Counting On, a spinoff series that would shift the focus from Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar to their children.
The Duggars and the show’s producers reportedly assured TLC that Josh Duggar would never appear on Counting On, and thus far, they’ve made good on that promise.
But now, it looks as though the disgraced 29-year-old may be returning to television as part of an ongoing effort to rehabilitate his public image.
According to a recent exposè published by In Touch, Jim Bob Duggar has negotiated to have Josh reintroduced to viewers in hopes that their more faithful fans will be willing to forgive his shocking sex crimes.
“Nobody thought TLC would ever allow him on again,” an insider tells the tabloid.
“[Jim Bob] spent a month trying to convince TLC that Josh should be back on the show. They finally caved and agreed to let him film an upcoming Counting On webisode where he’ll talk about his joy at learning he’s going to be a father again,” the source explains.
According to the deal reached by Jim Bob and the network, if fans react positively to Josh’s appearance online, “he’ll appear on the next season of Counting On.”
That interview took place several weeks ago, so by “next season,” the source presumably meant the run of new episodes that began on September 11.
While the promised “webisode” has yet to materialize, it does look as though the Duggars are tentatively reintroducing Josh to fans.
Earlier this month, Josh and wife Anna Duggar recorded a video message to Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell at the couple’s wedding.
The clip was not well-received, with many fans cringing at Josh’s declaration that he looked forward to having “another sister” in the family.
Despite the negative reaction, the Duggars tested the waters again just days later, when Josh wished Michelle Duggar a happy birthday in a short video greeting that was uploaded to YouTube.
Rumors of Josh returning to Counting On seem to surface every few weeks, and they have yet to prove accurate.
However, it’s worth noting that the former lobbyist has not been featured this prominently on his family’s social media accounts since word that he molested four of his sisters went public.
It’s enough to make some fans think his long-awaited returning is drawing near.
In fact, some Duggar followers believe the promotional materials for Monday night’s Counting On contain hints that Josh will appear on the episode.
For starters, the episode will be available on the TLC Go app before it airs on television, leading many to the conclusion that this is Josh’s promised webisode.
On top of that, the network is teasing a “surprise” on tonight’s installment, which many fans believe will focus on Joseph and Kendra’s wedding.
If this is indeed the Joseph and Kendra wedding episode, then a Josh cameo seems all the more likely.
We know that he was in attendance, and other guests have confirmed that there were some unexpected moments during filming.
“The wedding was beautiful, and there were some fun surprises, but I can’t give any spoilers before it airs on TLC,” wrote one longtime family friend on Instagram last month.
It’s easy to see why fans believe tonight’s the night of Josh’s widely-dreaded return, but frankly, we don’t see it happening.
The Duggars simply have too much to lose by bringing Josh back on screen, and his recent, brief appearances online have been met with scorn and derision.
It’s possible that at one point his parents were planning to bring the father of five back on the show, but with the amount of media savvy they’ve demonstrated over the years, we can’t imagine Jim Bob and Michelle making such a disastrous PR misstep.
No, our guess is that for the foreseeable future, Josh will continue to linger in the shadows, an unseen elephant in the room, a skeleton in the closet of reality TV’s most controversial family.
Watch Counting On online to get caught up in time for tonight’s episode.
