‘Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets’: Another Famous Family Is Involved With the IBLP

Amazon Studios will proceed with a docuseries about the Duggar family and the Institute of Basic Life Principles, the ultra-conservative Christian Ministry they belong to. The docuseries, titled Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, doesn’t have an official premiere date, but information leaked via Reddit suggests the series will premiere sometime this summer. While the show focuses heavily on the Duggar family, famed for their reality TV series, 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, they aren’t the only famous faces associated with the controversial ministry. The Bates family is also heavily entrenched in the ministry. 

The Bates family is also closely tied to the IBLP 

The Duggar family used to run in a large social circle. Much of that social circle revolved around the IBLP and an associated homeschooling program. That is how the Duggars met the Bates family. The Bates family first appeared on 19 Kids and Counting On as family friends. Eventually, they were given their own reality TV show. They, just like the Duggars, have 19 children. 

Bringing Up Bates aired on UpTV for 10 seasons before the show was unceremoniously canceled. An 11th season of the series was even filmed before the network opted to pull the plug. The actual reason for the cancelation remains somewhat mysterious. Following the news, UpTV released a statement to Us Weekly. The network said that they decided not to continue Bringing Up Bates because they planned to “shift focus” in programming. Some viewers believe a racist video posted by one of the Bates children might be the real reason for the cancelation. 

While the Bates family is no longer on TV, they are still heavily involved with the IBLP. At least some of the family is. The Bates family patriarch, Gil Bates, is on the board of directors. Several of the family’s adult children appear loosely tied to the ministry, but a few have publicly separated from its teachings.

Will the Bates family come up in the upcoming Duggar docuseries?

The Bates family has strong ties to the IBLP, leading some followers to assume they’ll come up in the upcoming Duggar docuseries. That seemed to be part of the plan when Amazon initially announced the project. Things appear to be more focused on the Duggar family now, though. Whether the Bates will even get a mention is unknown. 

Since a series of scandals rocked the Duggar family, including Josh Duggar’s arrest on child pornography charges, they’ve largely left the spotlight. Still, they remain the most identifiable family associated with the ministry. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s sixth child, Jinger Vuolo, released a book slamming the IBLP in January. Between the successful shows, scandals, and Jinger’s book, the family seems like the right place to shine the spotlight.