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Jinger Duggar has starred on the TLC show Counting On since it premiered as 19 Kids and Counting back in 2008. Duggar’s family had appeared in specials over the years, since she has so many siblings. But nothing became permanent until TLC pitched the reality show idea to Duggar’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Duggar revealed the reason her parents agreed to the show — and it wasn’t for money.

Jinger Duggar (second from left) with sisters Jessa, Joy, and Jana
Jinger Duggar (second from left) with sisters Jessa, Joy, and Jana | Ida Mae Astute/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

Jinger Duggar wasn’t crazy about filming the show when it first started

When Jinger Duggar first learned as a teenager that her parents would be doing a reality show, she wasn’t sure what to the think. The family had been filmed before, but now, it was about to be on a much more consistent basis.

Duggar details life as a reality star in her new book with husband Jeremy Vuolo, “The Hope We Hold.” Though the book’s official release date is May 4, Duggar and Vuolo released their third chapter early to fans, in which Duggar reveals her thoughts on reality fame.

“I felt strangely on display, like people knew something about me that I didn’t,” Duggar wrote of reality fame. She said that no matter where she was, even if it was just eating ice cream, someone recognized her.

Jinger Duggar revealed her parents didn’t do the show for money

Duggar eventually came around to reality TV and grew to enjoy it. She even later revealed that she and Vuolo debated leaving Counting On after they were married but ultimately decided to stay.

Throughout the released chapter, Duggar spoke more about what life as a reality star was like growing up — and she also revealed the real reason her parents decided to do the show.

“We … believe this is an opportunity,” Duggar wrote of Jim Bob’s words on doing the show. “We have a chance to tell the world about Christ right in their living rooms, all because somebody wants to give us a television show.”

Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are religious, and they’ve allowed God to guide them through their whole lives. Their hope with the TLC show was that they could bring the word of God to those who might not otherwise be religious.

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Fans theorize why ‘Counting On’ hasn’t been renewed

Counting On has run for 12 seasons. The show started out as 17 Kids and Counting, but eventually changed to 19 Kids and Counting as Michelle and Jim Bob welcomed more children. In 2015, the show was canceled due to Josh Duggar’s sexual abuse allegations coming to light. The show rebranded into Counting On, which followed the lives of the Duggar kids as they started to marry and have families of their own.

Counting On’s 12th season premiered last year, but so far, there has been no word on a season 13. And now, with Josh Duggar having recently been arrested on federal charges, some are convinced that’s why.

“I think they knew it was coming. What if that’s why they didn’t renew?” one person wrote on Reddit. And others suggest that, even if the arrest wasn’t the reason for not renewing, it could have an impact on whether TLC chooses to renew in the future.

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