Ex-‘Counting On’ Star Derick Dillard Says Fighting All the ‘Fake News’ About His Family Would Be a Full-Time Job
Derick Dillard is airing his grievances on Instagram. Over the past several weeks, the former Counting On star has been responding to comments on his Dec. 25 Instagram post, sharing his candid thoughts on his experience with TLC, his relationship with his in-laws, and more. In his latest comments, he opened up about dealing with false reports about his family in the media.
Derick Dillard speaks out about his relationship with TLC and the Duggar family
On Jan. 14, Derick responded to a fan’s comment praising him for speaking out. Specifically, the commenter was glad that he had addressed questions about his family’s relationship with TLC, the network that airs Counting On, and his wife’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Derick has previously claimed that Jim Bob controls the extended family’s relationship with TLC and determines who gets paid for appearing on the show.
“Makes a lot of sense now why you put up a fundraiser for your mission trips. Explains A LOT! Thank you for speaking out. People were stumped at how you and jill had no money when this show brings in millions each season,” the person wrote.
Derick says fighting ‘fake news’ is a full-time job
Derick replied to the supportive fan, thanking them for their understanding saying there is only so much he can do to fight misconceptions about his family.
“Living a life in the public’s eye has taught us that it is best not to reply to every rumor and piece of ‘fake news’ that is circulated online. It would be a full-time job if we attempted to do so,” he wrote.
But in certain situations, Dillard went on to write, he felt he had to speak up: “However, because of certain rumors and criticisms (such as rebuke for raising missionary support when we supposedly had money from being on a tv show) I think it’s important to address certain rumors with those who follow us. Thank you for the love and support that we can always count on in you our fans and friends.”
Derick and Jill had been criticized in the past for trying to raise money for their mission trips. Some people slammed the couple for their attempts to generate donations to do religious outreach work in Mexico and Central America. A few even accused them of misusing the funds they had raised.
Derick says Jill needs permission from Jim Bob to visit her parents’ house
In a series of other revealing comments on the post, Derick shed some more light on his wife’s relationship with her parents.
“[W]e’re not allowed at the house when JB isn’t there,” he wrote. “Jill even had to ask JB permission to go over to the house to help her sister when she was in labor because her sister wanted her help, but jill couldn’t provide the assistance until we got it cleared with JB,” he added, apparently referring to when Jill’s sister Jessa Duggar gave birth to her third child in May 2019.
In addition, Derick claimed that TLC pressured his wife to continue appearing on the 19 Kids and Counting spinoff Jill & Jessa: Counting On (which was later renamed Counting On). Jill and Derick have not appeared on the show since 2017. In the comment, he also referred to the sexual abuse that Jill (along with several of her sisters) is said to have experienced at the hands of her older brother Josh Duggar.
“It’s not going to look good for TLC when it’s exposed that they pressured an abuse victim to continue filming when we tried to quit, just so they could continue with Jill & Jessa: Counting On after 19K&C,” he wrote.
