Duggar Family Drama: Jim Bob Duggar Almost Ruined Derick and Jill Dillard’s Marriage
Jill Dillard’s new book Counting the Costs will be released on Sept. 12. Ahead of the bombshell memoir’s release date, the mother of three and former reality TV star is getting real honest about what led her to where she is today. Jill sat down for an interview recently and revealed how Jim Bob Duggar tried to undermine her marriage to Derick Dillard. From the sounds of it, the duo found themselves in a difficult place.
Jill Dillard admitted to experiencing difficulty in her marriage
The Duggar family spent years preaching to viewers about the benefits of courtship over dating. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar insisted courting allowed their children to remain pure. That purity, they claimed, would help them navigate marriage more easily. That was not the case for Jill Dillard and Derick Dillard.
While the couple had something of a courtship before tying the knot in 2014, they didn’t experience pure marital bliss. Jill and Derick experienced rough patches during the earlier part of their union. They can trace most of the tension in their marriage back to the family’s reality TV show and Jim Bob’s strong grip on his children, even after they married and became adults.
In an interview with People, Jill revealed that she often felt pulled in different directions because she was taught to honor her parents, even as an adult. She claimed she believed she still had to ask for her parents’ permission before making any significant life decision. She admits that that belief system drove a wedge between herself and her husband during the early years of their marriage.
Jim Bob Duggar tried to manipulate the duo and cause trouble
While Jill was careful in addressing her issues with her parents, Derick had no problem calling out what could be considered manipulative behavior. During their interview with People, Derick noted that Jim Bob would often question whose “idea” something was and ask whether Jill or Derick was causing the pushback. Derick went on to say that Jim Bob would often question whether their decisions were in the best interest of their marriage.
Derick called the interference “damaging” to the marriage. Jill noted that she knew she had to make a choice when their arguing over the show and filming reached a high point. Jill Dillard told the publication that she knew they had to work together, or the tension would ruin their marriage. They opted to work together and, in doing so, appear to have arrived at a healthier place. Still, it seems meddling on Jim Bob’s part could have been extremely problematic.
Have any Duggars ever gotten divorced?
While Jill and Derick hit a rough patch in their marriage, partly because of filming, they aren’t the only Duggars who have endured marital turbulence. Have any of them gotten divorced, though? As it stands, none of the Duggar offspring have separated from their spouses. There is at least one couple that Duggar family followers believe needs to end their union.
Josh Duggar is serving a decade-long prison sentence for possessing and receiving child pornography. Before his arrest, he was involved in two other scandals. First, it was revealed that he sexually abused several of his sisters when they were kids. Then, Josh was outed as a serial cheater. His name and email address appeared in the Ashley Madison data breach.
Despite his deplorable behavior, his wife, Anna Duggar, remains by his side. Insiders have alleged that the mother of seven is fed up with the Duggar family. Still, she remains loyal to Josh because she does not believe in divorce. The couple married in 2008. They welcomed their seventh and seemingly last child in 2021, just weeks before Josh was convicted for his sex crimes.
Duggar family followers also suspect Jessa Seewald and her husband, Ben Seewald, are unhappy together. Their issues seem more of a personality mismatch than any significant indiscretion, though. They, however, remain married. Rumors suggest the pair, who wed in 2014, might be expecting their fifth child together.
