Duggar Sisters Preview New Show 'Jill & Jessa: Counting On' (Video)
TLC stars Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald opened up about the devastating aftermath of their brother Josh Duggar's decade-old molestation scandal in a preview of their forthcoming new series.
The sisters will return to reality TV in December when their show "Jill & Jessa: Counting On" premieres on the TLC network. A newly released teaser video shows them recalling the heartbreaking moment when Josh's past assault was made public. In May, both Jill, 24, and Jessa, 22, came forward as being among the five victims that 27-year-old Josh molested when he was 14, and they share their devastation on the upcoming episode.
"Here I am, the most joyful time of my life, newly married, baby on the way and then … We were devastated," said Jessa. "Like, we couldn't believe it. You have to wonder like how did this happen."
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The screen cuts to Jill, who begins sobbing as she discusses the scandal.
"You're angry and hurt and like all those emotions all mixed together," said the married mother of one. "I cried a lot of tears and still do … I'm hurting."
In July, the devoutly Christian Duggar family was left disappointed when TLC canceled their long-running series "19 Kids and Counting," which first aired in 2008.
The decision came amid backlash surrounding Josh, who publicly apologized for the assaults in May but just a few months later would be mirred in controversy over an admitted affair. In August, the father of four admitted to cheating on Anna, his wife of seven years, after media reports revealed that he was a paid user of adultery website Ashley Madison.
"I have been the biggest hypocrite ever," Josh wrote in a statement at the time. "While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the Internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife."
Jill and Jessa said previously that after much prayer they, along with the entire Duggar family, have forgiven Josh and they are now focused on moving forward through faith.
"Jill & Jessa: Counting On" will focus on Jill and her husband Derrick's journey through Central America and Jessa's pregnancy and her and her husband Ben's journey into parenthood for the first time.
"Even with all the difficulties my family has walked through, there's still a lot of milestones ahead and Ben and I are excited to welcome our first little one into the world very soon," said Jessa.
Jill added: "We're excited about what the future holds, we will come out of this fire stronger as a family unit."
